Young people to probe Gove's dismissal of youth policy
Neil Puffett
Friday, February 8, 2013
Education Secretary Michael Gove's assertion that youth policy is not a government priority is to come under the scrutiny of a group of young people, who will take up their grievances with children's minister Edward Timpson.
Gove made the comments last month during an education select committee meeting about ongoing reforms at the Department for Education, stating: “Youth policy is a priority for local government and not central government.”
The words have prompted more than 100 senior figures in the sector to sign a joint letter warning that a lack of government interest in youth services risks triggering social unrest.
The National Scrutiny Group – which is composed of fifteen 11- to 19-year-olds formed to ensure government policies that affect young people take their views into account – has revealed it will probe Gove’s remarks at its next meeting on 25 February.
The group will produce a report following the meeting, which children’s minister Edward Timpson will attend.
“When I read [Gove’s] comments I was personally quite disappointed,” said Jake Pitt, scrutiny group member for the South West and member of youth parliament for Mendip.
“In Somerset, we have been facing cuts to youth services of around three quarters of the overall budget.
“Obviously with austerity, a lot of councils have to make cuts to their budgets and a lot of money has been taken from youth budgets.
“A lot of youth organisations have been looking to government to produce guidance for councils about how to run services and a lot of people will be disappointed with Michael Gove’s comments.
“A lot of people in the group feel that youth policy really ought to be a national concern and something that the Department for Education ought to look at.”
Wesley Parkinson, scrutiny group member for Yorkshire and Humber, said: “We have asked for more explanation of Gove’s comments around youth policy as a priority for local, not central, government as we are concerned about what this means for children and young people and the impact of any policies that central governments passes.”
The group will also discuss how the government is meeting the objectives of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The National Scrutiny Group was established as part of the DfE's Positive for Youth policy statement in December 2011. It has so far met twice, in July and October last year.
