Young people are alienated from politics but not apathetic, according to researchers from the University of Birmingham who say that the Government should pay more attention to what young people want and not take their views for granted.The ESRC-funded research, published today, found that young people feel politics is something that is done to them, not something they can take part in. That, the research team say, is a sign of alienation rather than apathy and if government wants to encourage young voters it must first listen to them.

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Head teachers are calling for a public sector solution to Local Education Authority and school improvement. In a paper published today the Secondary Heads Association says the government has frequently looked to the private sector to turn round schools and LEAs but the expertise for which the private sector is being given credit comes from people whose experience has been gained in the public sector.The Association believes that LEA and school improvement could be carried out more effectively and efficiently within the public sector. It points to a number of successful interventions by Chief Education Officers from other LEAs. This it says contrasts with the over-hyped and expensive involvement of private companies, whose success rate has not been good. The SHA cites the example of Liverpool LEA, now highly rated, which, it says, was put on the right track four years ago through the secondment of Bob Clark, then Chief Education Officer in Wigan.

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By Rosemary Crompton, Jane Dennett and Andrea Wigfield. The world of work is changing rapidly. Long-established job hierarchies have been swept away and more flexible ways of working have been widely adopted. More women with young children are remaining in employment and many employers are introducing flexible policies designed to improve work-life balance. The authors explore the tensions between career development and family life in the private and public sectors.