From April 2008 local authorities will assume overall responsibility for the quality of young people's IAG. From this date, new standards of quality and impartiality apply. The standards will help local authorities to secure high quality IAG provision for young people in their area as part of an integrated youth support service. The standards are also for use by learning providers, external IAG providers and users of IAG services to check that the expected standards are being achieved.
Beverley Hughes, the Minister for Children and Young People said:
'In a complex and changing world all young people need access to good quality, comprehensive and impartial information, advice and guidance (IAG). They need good IAG to help them make the right learning and career choices so that they can succeed in work, and they need it to help them find answers to the questions and issues that can arise in their personal lives.
I am very pleased to recommend the quality standards to all Local Authorities, Connexions providers, schools and other IAG and learning providers. I would ask them all to look very carefully at the standards and to measure themselves against them. If everyone pulls together to achieve the quality standards then I am confident that the impact on young people's participation in learning, and on their achievements in work and in life, will be far reaching.'
The ICG supports the standards, with President Kieran Gordon saying;
'The ICG welcomes the publication of the national IAG standards. In particular we celebrate the Government's insistence that impartial, independent and well informed information, advice and guidance is available for all young people as they manage the transition to adult and working life. The ICG will support the implementation of Standards; its members, professionally trained Career Advisers, will play an important role in their application in all local areas.'
A copy of the User Guide is available from the CEGNET website by clicking here.
A film of the launch will also be available soon, so keep an eye on the ICG website. | 
