Union calls for creation of Cabinet-level youth affairs role

The union said a cross-departmental youth advocate role is needed in order to "knock heads together" across Whitehall to ensure government policy benefits young people.

Unite wants the establishment of the senior-level role to be accompanied by a statutory youth services bill that places legal duties on councils to provide professional youth services and to consult young people on any changes, such as funding cuts.

The demands will feature in a new research report to be launched by the union at the Labour party conference on Sunday (24 September).

It includes a survey that found that more than half (55 per cent) of youth workers have experienced changes to their services. Of these, 73 per cent said the changes had a negative impact on provision for young people.

"What this research identifies is the systematic erosion of youth services in England since 2010," Unite's national officer for community and youth workers, Colenzo Jarrett-Thorpe, said. 

"This report is a blueprint for action and a key recommendation is the appointment of a Cabinet-level youth affairs minister. 
 
"He or she would have the ministerial clout to cut through across departments to ensure coherent and joined-up policies that benefit young people, often with serious personal problems, and the staff that provide those services."
 
Following the general election and the failure of youth minister Rob Wilson to get re-elected, youth policy became part of the remit of sports minister Tracey Crouch.