Situated against the indicators of key national and county-based data, the Unseen Surrey report outlines the negative impacts of disadvantage, the overstretch of key systems, and risk factors that increase the chances of marginalisation of young people who are excluded from education, employment or training. Equally, the myriad of stakeholders interviewed, the structures examined, and the data analysed highlighted how national and local authorities, further education providers, employers, mentors and the voluntary sector can together reverse Surrey’s story of missed opportunities.

Whilst Surrey has historically been a high-performing authority in terms of NEET (as well as the more complex ‘Not Known’ category) the report indicates problematic and possibly widening gaps that need to be addressed swiftly, materially, financially, and sustainably. The report concludes with Existing Challenges to NEETs in Surrey: structural but not insurmountable obstacles; and many Pathways to Progress; capable of enhancing and increasing the range of opportunities, skills and personal development of young people, supporting them in transforming them from ‘not in’ to definitively ‘in’ education, employment and/or training.