Just over 500m a year is nationally attributed by the Department for Education and Skills for "youth and community" spending by local authorities.
But this money is not ring-fenced, nor is it even exclusively for youth work: it is intended to also cover other features of local authority spending, including some parts of adult education (which really ought to be financed from the Learning and Skills Council 8bn-plus budget). So it is wrong and mischievous of former youth minister Margaret Hodge to say "the Government gives local authorities 500m for youth work but they only spend 300m".
The formula that identifies the youth work component needs to be made crystal clear to discourage such statements.
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
