The overspend has prompted Northern Ireland's education minister, Barry Gardiner, to order the South Eastern and Belfast boards to provide swift action plans to cut costs.
The South Eastern board said the spending was a result of the need to provide for children with special education needs, coupled with increased transport costs and back payments. The board has now brought in consultants Pricewaterhouse-Coopers to set spending limits.
James Peel, senior education officer for youth at the South Eastern board said: "The youth section has a ring-fenced budget separate to the mainstream board budget. There will be no adverse impact on board youth services since the youth budget is not in an overspend position."
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