Lindsey Morgan, parent and Socialist Party member
Years of funding cuts to youth groups, sports clubs, and a whole variety of places young people could safely spend their time mean that resources are stretched very thin across ‘out-of-school settings’.
Services, previously under clear local authority control, are now being run by a whole range of groups. With less oversight from local-authority safeguarding procedures, young people are put at risk of harm.
A government report states that some young people were in immediate danger due to unsafe premises, unchecked staff and inappropriate practices. Education watchdog Ofsted, or even the police, have been contacted for incidents of verbal abuse, grooming, child sexual abuse and the risk of sex offenders working in these settings.
Too few resources are again putting young people at risk of serious harm. This has been the experience of austerity for so many young people – their safety comes second to money and finance.
The government’s answer has been to draw up some proposals. But it’s unclear if any serious funding will be allocated for them to be enacted.
And without real democratic oversight of these services, under local authority control, where the users rather than the profits are prioritised, these risks to safety will continue.
Youth services need to be fully resourced, publicly owned, and under the democratic control of young people, youth workers, and the wider community to be made safe.
