Students seeking careers advice are relying too heavily on informal advice, according to the LGA. Research showed 80 per cent of young people found formal careers services only ‘a little bit' or ‘not at all' helpful. The LGA called for resources to be targeted more effectively, for example by focusing professional careers services on disadvantaged children. Cllr Shireen Ritchie, chair of the LGA's children and young people board, said: ‘It is common sense to offer information and support to parents, teachers and youth workers to do this job as effectively as possible.'