Scotland's Devolved Employment Services: Background and Methodology
Background and methodological information to supplement the official statistics publications - Scotland’s Devolved Employment Services: No One Left Behind and Scotland’s Devolved Employment Services: Fair Start Scotland (FSS)
This document provides background and methodological information to supplement the official statistics publications - Scotland’s Devolved Employment Services: No One Left Behind and Scotland’s Devolved Employment Services: Fair Start Scotland (FSS).
The full publication can be accessed from the Scotland’s Devolved Employment Services Statistics Homepage – opens in a new window.
Fair Start Scotland
FSS was an employability support service, launched in April 2018, which aimed to help unemployed people into sustainable employment.
Please note that FSS closed to new referrals on the 31st March 2024. From October 2024 onwards the publication includes updates to employment outcomes only. Following the end of referrals to FSS, Scottish Government funded employability provision is now commissioned through Local Employability Partnerships, under the No One Left Behind approach (Scotland's Devolved Employment Services statistics - opens in a new window).
No One Left Behind
No One Left Behind, introduced from April 2019, is a different approach to employability delivery which moves away from funding and delivering a number of separate and distinct employability programmes, to a more flexible approach.
The key priorities for No One Left Behind were set-out in the No One Left Behind: employability strategic plan 2024 to 2027 (Access the strategic plan – opens in a new window) published in September 2024.
Official Statistics
Our statistical practice is regulated by the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR). OSR sets the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics (Access the Code of Practice – opens in a new window) that all producers of official statistics should adhere to. The statistics presented for Fair Start Scotland are Official Statistics and statistics presented for No One Left Behind are Official Statistics in Development.
You are welcome to contact us directly with any comments about how we meet these standards by emailing: employabilitydata@gov.scot. Alternatively, you can contact OSR by emailing: regulation@statistics.gov.uk or via the OSR website (opens in a new window).
Background Information
1. Official Statistics and Official Statistics in Development
Statistics for No One Left Behind are official statistics in development. Official statistics in development are official statistics that are undergoing a development; they may be new or existing statistics, and will be tested with users, in line with the standards of trustworthiness, quality, and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics. These were previously referred to as experimental statistics.
Statistics for FSS are official statistics. While no longer considered in development, user feedback and comments are still welcomed to help improve this publication.
More detail on designation of statistics can be found at: UK Statistics Authority - Types of official statistics (opens in a new window).
2. Reporting Periods
- No One Left Behind: This publication reports on all participants who received support from 1 April 2019 onwards, except for parents where data covers the period from 1 April 2020 onwards.
- Fair Start Scotland: This publication reports on all referrals and starts from 13 March 2018 to 31 March 2024. The service was launched on 3 April 2018. There was an opportunity for referrals to be made and starts to be recorded for a short period prior to the launch of the service. Referrals and starts which occurred before the official launch are reported with the April 2018 data. FSS closed to new referrals on the 31st March 2024. From October 2024 onwards the publication includes updates to employment outcomes only.
Data are not seasonally adjusted and therefore changes between quarters should be regarded with caution. Decreases in participant numbers are typically observed in October-December due to the festive period, with a subsequent increase observed in January-March. This can also impact on April-June as data subsequently levels off. Comparing a quarter with the same quarter in previous years reduces the impact of seasonality. Please note, quarterly data is also subject to more natural fluctuation compared to annual data.
3. Key features of No One Left Behind and Fair Start Scotland
No One Left Behind and Fair Start Scotland are different approaches to employability support and can vary in what support is offered and what groups are targeted. This is likely to impact on both the demographics and outcomes of participants across both approaches. It is therefore not recommended to make direct comparisons.
Table 1: Key features of No One Left Behind and Fair Start Scotland
|
|
No One Left Behind |
Fair Start Scotland (FSS) |
|
Start |
April 2019 |
April 2018 |
|
Delivery |
Scottish and Local Government are working with third and private sector organisations to deliver support which aims to be more joined-up and responsive to the needs of individuals of all ages and to local labour market conditions. |
FSS is delivered by a mixed economy of public, private and third sector providers across nine geographical areas throughout Scotland. More information can be accessed at: mygov.scot - find a job (opens in a new window). |
|
Support |
The support provided may vary from short, focused interventions or longer term support, dependent upon individual circumstances. |
FSS provides individualised one-to-one support to unemployed people facing the greatest challenges to obtaining work, including people with disabilities, convictions, care-experienced young people, single parents, refugees, minority ethnic groups, and those living in the most deprived areas in Scotland. |
|
Duration |
Varied |
Support is available for 12 months, or up to 18 months in some cases |
|
Re-engagement |
The flexible, person-centred support of No One Left Behind acknowledges that participants may experience support differently, based on their individual circumstances and needs – for example, being able to disengage and re-engage in support as required. |
Following the extension of FSS beyond the initial three year period, people who have previously received support can re-join the service. There must be a break of at least 13 weeks since the person left FSS to become eligible. As a result, the total number of starts in years 1 to 3 equals the number of people but from year 4 onwards and thus overall, the total number of starts is not the same as the number of people who have received support. |
|
Referral |
Individuals can self-refer to No One Left Behind support, or be referred through a variety of channels, including educational providers, Local Authorities, third sector organisations, Jobcentre Plus, and other local services. |
A referral can be made by an individual’s Jobcentre Plus (JCP) Work Coach. Alternatively, participants can be signposted to FSS through third party organisations or they can self-refer to their local provider if they meet specific criteria. Third-party referrals relate to referrals from outwith JCP. |
For other services across the UK, features of service design (e.g. whether voluntary or mandatory, eligibility criteria) and definitions (e.g. how job outcomes are measured) may differ to a greater extent.