1. Detached work is a way of building relationships with young people on their territory. Usually that means on the streets, on estates, in arcades, pubs, parks or wherever they hang out. Historically, it was thought of as work with the "unattached" or the "unclubbables" - those who didn't fit or were barred from mainstream youth provision. More recent terms might include disengaged, at risk or socially excluded.
2. It shouldn't be a knee-jerk response to local political pressure to "do something" about a group of visible young people. Detached work is about the careful building of relationships with young people, some of whom may be mistrustful and have years of negative experiences of adult contact. It is not the youth work version of a rapid response team designed to clear the streets of antisocial behaviour.
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