Tom Wylie, chief executive of The NYA, is arguing for a more detailed publication to follow the forthcoming statutory guidance on the Education and Inspections Act.
The guidance on clause six of the Act will clarify how local authorities are expected to meet their obligations to provide services for young people.
But Wylie believes there is an opportunity to have a more in-depth look at the subject.
"The forthcoming publication of the statutory guidance will be a great help in planning," he said. "But we need something more specific about youth work, and it may be timely to consider an updated version of Resourcing Excellent Youth Services."
Transforming Youth Work - Resourcing Excellent Youth Services was published in 2002 and set out the Government's definition of the key elements of a high-quality youth service.
The statutory guidance will identify youth work as a component of the offer that local authorities should provide for young people. It will also set in stone previous government announcements, such as the commitment to two hours a week of structured activity outside school, and the emphasis on local authority commissioning.
It will give details of other commitments in the Act, such as the requirement on local authorities to seek young people's views, and provide information on available activities.
A spokesman for the Department for Education and Skills said the guidance will be published for consultation near the end of the year.
www.everychildmatters.gov.uk.
