Abstract

This summary article presents some of the already existing figures for social, economic and educational disengagement in Wales. Where possible we present the most up-to-date figures, at the lowest level of aggregation; these have been adapted from a variety of sources, which are acknowledged at the foot of each table. These sources have often also made available larger datasets, from which we have derived trends over time and differences between groups, such as males and females, or between home countries. We comment on these trends and differences, where appropriate. Many of the figures have been rounded to integers for ease of presentation, but the more precise figures were used in the actual analysis. We focus on figures at the level of unitary authorities (UAs), and, via factor analysis, show how closely linked are the patterns of disadvantage discernible in such apparently disparate areas as education, health, housing, economy and crime. Recognizing the importance of 'multiple deprivation' and its likely long-term impact on individuals' propensity to enhance their basic skills via education or training gives us a valuable insight into the kinds of policies for amelioration that will be particularly effective – and those that may be less effective.The article is in three main parts. The first presents tables of relative disadvantage, relevant to formal education and training. The second presents tables of relative disadvantage, relevant to social and economic factors. The final part considers the overall patterns in the data, via multivariate analysis, and presents some of their practical implications.

How to Cite:

Gorard, S., Lewis, J. & Smith, E., (2004) “Disengagement in Wales: Educational, Social and Economic Issues”, Wales Journal of Education 13(1), 118-147.