Government Policy: How Positive for Youth?

Abstract

The Coalition government’s overall ‘hands-off’ approach to local authority policy-making. Youth policies’ low priority within the DfE under Michael Gove; the transfer of responsibility for them to other government departments. Within the dominant ideological and economic boundaries of the period, the development and aims of the 2011 Positive for Youth paper and the 2013 ‘Progress Paper’. The paper’s view of open access and targeted provision; its redefinition of youth work: as any form of work with young people where ‘youth work values’ and ‘approaches’ are being applied; and as largely an ancillary contributor to programmes offered by targeted services. The Coalition government’s attempts to strengthen the legislative base of local authority Youth Services.