Reality bites for the UK's youth policy trailblazer

There might be a perception that matters are better elsewhere in the UK. Indeed, the Welsh government's children, young people and education committee has been conducting a snapshot inquiry into the effectiveness of youth work national strategy and policy. The written evidence has been published and oral evidence taken. You really would think all was rosy in the garden, sustaining a claim and perspective about the favourable position of youth work in Wales compared with England (even before the draconian cuts) that has prevailed since the Extending Entitlement policy there 16 years ago.

The evidence provided from the minister for lifelong learning and Welsh language, composed by his officials, predictably made positive noises about youth work and pointed to all the recent positive developments - a national youth work strategy for Wales, with progress on a quality mark, an outcomes framework and a charter for youth work. None of this is a bad thing in itself, but it compounds the felony that has been perpetrated in Wales for some years. That is the fact that, within exceptionally celebratory rhetoric, there is a huge hole in the reality of youth services for young people.