Keep the uniforms away from youth work

13 October 2009 2 mins read Howard Williamson Youth Work

Just when custody officers in young offender institutions are dressing down - into more relaxed trousers and track suit tops, from their previous quasi-military attire - so I notice that more and more youth services are requiring their workers dress in distinctive uniforms proclaiming their identity, if not their status.

In baseball caps, T-shirts, sweatshirts and versions of combat jackets, the something or other detached youth work team ventures forth, or the something or other youth service club workers wait to receive their visitors. I can understand the need for some forms of youth work to have a high visibility, especially in these days of preoccupations with child protection and also the duty of care towards staff. We do not want a repeat of a true story where a veteran youth worker was suddenly redeployed into street-based work, only to spend the night in the cells having been reported as acting suspiciously and having no line manager to vouch for him at the time of the night he needed it.

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