Youth worker register 'close to launch'

The register, plans for which were announced in the Institute's five-year strategy launched in January, will include details of the qualifications held by individual youth workers.

Institute chair Adam Muirhead said he hopes the register will be piloted by the end of the year, although details are still being finalised with the support of other youth work bodies.

In addition to being open to practitioners with a professional qualification in youth and community work, the register will be available to those working with young people in voluntary roles.

Muirhead said the register is primarily about recognising and raising professional standards of youth work while at the same time "being supportive of the rich diversity of ways that youth work is practiced".

Click link below for related CYP Now content:

Youth work impact special report: policy context

Qualifications and training guide: youth work

Writing in the August edition of CYP Now, Muirhead said: "It would allow employers to see who is registered, what qualification they have and would allow government to see exactly what the youth workforce looks like in England.

"The register would need to be clearly linked to professional qualification in youth work from a course validated by the Education and Training Standards Committee, hosted by the National Youth Agency.

"Protecting the link between professional qualification and the agreed terms and conditions for professionally qualified youth workers (set by the Joint Negotiating Committee) is key to ensuring that high quality, impactful practitioners are valued."

In June 2017, the Unite union called for the creation of a national register of youth and community workers alongside protection for the title of youth worker.

Since last April, Welsh youth workers can register with the Education Workforce Council.