1. Cabinet Ministers, Spin Doctors, Yes Ministers and Backbenchers: charting the influence of parents on students’ careers. Dr Paul Redmond Director of Student Life

2. If you can read this thank a teacher. National Union of Teachers

3. Meet the Parents.

4. Additional Information (Law firm) Please provide information on your contributions and achievements towards the following: Positions of responsibility (education) Positions of responsibility (sporting) Academic awards Sporting awards Duke of Edinburgh Gold Debating societies Clubs and societies (formed or chaired) Young Enterprise Organisations (chaired) Musical instruments (please indicate level of proficiency) Languages (please specify no’s of languages spoken and levels of fluency) Theatre performances (give examples) Dance (include level of proficiency) Volunteering work Charity work Community engagement Travel experience (dates and locations visited) Other...

5. ‘81% of respondents said they took their parents’ views into account but made their own decisions.’.’ ‘Parental influence on children’s academic and employment choices’ 2014

6. Only 7% of students believe that it is wrong for parents to influence their choice of career or higher education. ‘Parental influence on children’s academic and employment choices’ 2014

7. Parent Typology Cabinet Minister Civil Servant Spin Doctor Backbencher

8. The Cabinet Minister Highly influential and well-connected; Holder and purveyor of cultural capital; Direct access to elite networks; Able to achieve results; Metropolitan and cosmopolitan.

9. “”The biggest influence my parents gave me was their own example – they both went to Cambridge and while they in no way TOLD me to apply there, they did tell me about their own experiences, which made me want to go there myself.”.” ‘Parental influence on children’s academic and employment choices’ 2014

10. Civil Servant Informed adviser; Guides from the side-lines; Familiar with processes and conventions; High levels of knowledge, but may pull back from exerting direct engagement and influence; Aims for neutrality.

11. ’56% of students said their parents had accompanied them to university open days.’ ‘Parental influence on children’s academic and employment choices’ 2014

12. “As I do not receive student finance, my whole education was an investment from my parents, so the minimum I can do is show some gratitude is to listen and take into account what they have to say.” ‘Parental influence on children’s academic and employment choices’ 2014

13. The Spin Doctor Ferociously loyal; Uber-competitive and willing to go to extreme lengths to gain a positional advantage; Expert at communications and image management; Excels in the curricula and extracurricular; Overstepping the mark is but an occupational hazard.

14. ’25% of employers say that they had experience of parents seeking to influence the selection process for their child.’ ‘Parental influence on children’s academic and employment choices’ 2014

15. “I received huge pressure from the private school I attended with regard to going to university, despite feeling it wasn’t the right choice for me.” ‘Parental influence on children’s academic and employment choices’ 2014

16. The Backbencher Loyal and hard-working but likely to wield limited influence; Has limited capacity to shape proceedings; Likely to lack key knowledge; May act on outdated intelligence; Can find it difficult to identify with new economic realities.

17. ‘Students with parents who had not been to university were much more likely to be left to make their own decisions.’ ‘Parental influence on children’s academic and employment choices’ 2014

18. “From my own experience, parents with little or no higher education don’t know much about the university process, therefore they didn’t have much input into my decisions.” ‘Parental influence on children’s academic and employment choices’ 2014

19. Summary

20. 1. Knowledge, Engagement and Influence.

21. (Low) Knowledge(High) Spin DoctorCabinet Minister Back BencherCivil Servant (Low)Engagement (High) Influence

22. 2. WP isn’t just about students..

23. ’Parents of independently educated students are much more likely to put their children in touch with family, friends and work colleagues for work experience and jobs (51% v 36%).’ ‘Parental influence on children’s academic and employment choices’ 2014

24. ’76% of parents do not know where to find online information about alternatives to university.’ ‘Parental influence on children’s academic and employment choices’ 2014

25. ’Parents who hadn’t been to university were much less likely to help their children with job applications and interviews compared to those who had.’ ‘Parental influence on children’s academic and employment choices’ 2014

26. ’73% of students said their parents never discussed alternatives to university with them.’ ‘Parental influence on children’s academic and employment choices’ 2014

27. 3. Don’t underestimate the power of parents.

28. ‘When I was growing up, my parents told me, ‘Finish your dinner. People in India and China are starving.’ I tell my daughters, ‘Finish your homework. People in India and China are starving for your job.’ Thomas Friedman

29. ’When I was eighteen, I thought my father was a fool. When I was 21, I was pleasantly surprised at how much he had managed to learn in three years.’ Mark Twain

30. Cabinet Ministers, Spin Doctors, Yes Ministers and Backbenchers: charting the influence of parents on students’ careers. Dr Paul Redmond Director of Student Life