Call for evidence into council youth work duties

The public call - which was due to take place over eight weeks from late July, but had been delayed by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) - will run from now until midnight on 1 December.
 
It asks for respondents' views on their awareness and understanding of existing statutory guidance, and how effective they think it is in securing services for young people.

Existing statutory guidance was last updated in 2012. It places a duty on local authorities to deliver appropriate local services improve young people's wellbeing.

It is part of a review of the statutory guidance, which the government committed to in the Civil Society Strategy, published in August 2018.

Minister for civil society, Baroness Diana Barran said: "This call for evidence is an opportunity to provide greater clarity on the public's expectations of local authorities and the services they provide to young people in their communities.

"We are determined to ensure the guidance is useful and accessible for everyone, and helps make a real difference to young people's lives."

The launch follows a series of sector-led roundtables run by the Local Government Association and the National Advisory Board of the National Youth Agency.

Speaking to CYP Now last month, Baroness Barran said her office was "keen to get going" with the public call, after concerns were raised by the youth work sector that the delay, alongside a general election, could mean the review is not published for some months.