Youth support workers provide a full-time equivalent of 3,300 but there are vacancies of about eight per cent.
The proportion of full-time as opposed to fractional professional posts has increased, reflecting the importance accorded to full-time professional staff. The percentage of qualified professional staff has risen from 75 to 83 per cent, but the percentage of qualified youth support worker staff remains at about 50 per cent.
At present, there are not sufficient numbers of youth workers to meet targets. The average ratio of delivery staff to young people (1:626) is already significantly below the Resourcing Excellent Youth Services standard figure of 1:400 and worse than the figure for 2003-04. This demonstrates the size of the workforce development challenge facing youth work. A 2005 Ofsted report made a direct correlation between proportions of qualified staff and quality of provision.
The NYA's annual monitoring of the 50 higher education courses that it validates shows a steady increase in recruitment. These programmes currently recruit just under 1,500 students a year, of whom 62 per cent of those qualifying went into maintained or voluntary sector youth services.
Steve Drowley, The NYA's quality standards manager, called for more emphasis on recruitment and improved professional development. He added: "There is also a lack of opportunity for career progression.
"There are very few senior practitioner posts available in either sector."
