A new professional called a 'youth advice worker' is needed to ensure young people's rights and legal entitlements are met, the director of youth advice network Youth Access has said.
Barbara Rayment told a Capita conference last week that a new set of professionals, who combined youth work skills with expertise in advocacy, were necessary. This would enable them to challenge decisions on behalf of young people.
Rayment said the youth sector was ill-equipped to meet young people's needs, as it lacks the right skills or access to the necessary training. She added: "We have a set of other services to resolve issues, but they are inaccessible to young people."
