Youth services statutory guidance: Survey of councils, May 2024

Background

Between May and June 2024, the Local Government Association (LGA) conducted an online survey of county and single-tier councils asking them to share their views on the impact of the youth services statutory guidance refresh. This exercise aimed to inform the LGA’s discussions with central government and outline what is needed to support councils to deliver their statutory duty. The survey was sent to directors of children’s services or equivalent positions, and a total of 83 councils (54 per cent) responded.

Key findings

• Since September 2023, 48 per cent of councils have put a great deal or a fair amount of additional resources into providing infrastructure or strategic support to other organisations.
• Over the next three years, 35 per cent of councils said they planned to slightly increase the number of hours youth service support offered - 29 per cent of these councils said that this was due to the statutory guidance refresh to a great or moderate extent.
• A quarter (24 per cent) of councils said that they felt the change in statutory guidance will result in a changed delivery model of youth services in their area to a great or moderate extent.
• Forty-three per cent of councils said they felt the change in statutory guidance has or will not change how their council works with other partners such as health and the voluntary sector very much.
• Over the past five years, revenue expenditure for overall youth services has slightly increased in 32 per cent of councils. Capital expenditure in overall youth services has not changed in 51 per cent of councils.
• To the best of their knowledge, 41 per cent of councils said that the level of youth service provision in the voluntary, community and faith sector (VCFS) had slightly increased.
• Sixty-two per cent of councils said that they were the largest commissioner of youth services in their area. VCFS was the largest deliverer reported by 91 per cent of councils in areas where the council was not the largest deliverer. 

From May to June 2024, the LGA conducted an online survey of county councils, unitary councils, metropolitan districts and London boroughs regarding the impact of the youth services statutory guidance refresh. The survey was aimed to inform the LGA’s discussions with central government and outline what is needed to support councils to deliver on their statutory duty.

In September 2023, the previous government published new statutory guidance for local authorities on services to improve young people’s well-being, updating the document for the first time since 2012. The LGA recognises the pressures facing local authority budgets, and that some councils have had to change their approach to funding youth services. The survey aimed to help the LGA to understand the extent to which councils have changed their funding and delivery of youth services, and whether the recently refreshed statutory guidance has had an impact. 

The survey was conducted by the LGA’s Research and Information Team using an online questionnaire. An email containing a unique link was sent to all directors of children’s services (or equivalent positions) in county and single-tier councils in England (153 in total). The survey was available to complete online between May and June 2024. The final response rate was 54 per cent (83 councils).

Response rate

As Table one shows, the council type with the highest level of engagement was county councils, at 67 per cent, or 14 councils. Fifty-seven per cent, or 36 unitary councils, and 48 per cent, or 16 London boroughs responded to the survey. The lowest level of response was from metropolitan districts (at 47 per cent or 17 councils).

Regionally, as shown in table two, the highest level of engagement was from councils in the East Midlands, with a response rate of 70 per cent, or seven councils. This was followed by the South East, with a response rate of 68 per cent, or 13 councils, and the South West, at 67 per cent, or ten councils. Councils from the Eastern region had a response rate of 55 per cent, or six councils, whilst 54 per cent, or 13 councils from the North West responded, and  53 per cent, or eight councils from the Yorkshire and Humber region responded. From the London region, 48 per cent or 16 councils responded, and the North East had a response rate of 42 per cent or five councils. The lowest level of response was from the West Midlands (at 36 per cent or five councils).

Whilst these respondents may not be fully representative of all county and single-tier councils, this level of response means that the results are likely to provide a good indication of the position of the sector more widely.

Table one: Response rate by type of council

Table two: Response rate by region

Data has been weighted to be more representative of councils across England. The number provided for the base for the tables below refers to the actual (unweighted) number of respondents who answered each question.

In addition, the following should be considered when interpreting the findings of this survey:

• Where tables and figures report the base, the description refers to the group of people who were asked the question. The number provided refers to the unweighted number of respondents who answered each question. Please note that bases can vary throughout the survey.
• Throughout the report, percentages may not appear to add up to exactly 100 per cent due to rounding.

This section contains analysis of the full results from the survey. 

Respondents were asked how much additional resource they have invested since September 2023 into the areas below:

• staff to directly deliver youth services
• back office staff relating to youth services
• investment into training for youth service practitioners
• providing infrastructure or strategic support to other organisations.

As table three shows, 48 per cent of respondents reported investing a great deal or a fair amount of additional resources into providing infrastructure or strategic support to other organisations, whilst 35 per cent reported significant additional investment into training for youth service practitioners, 26 per cent reported significant additional investment into staff to directly deliver youth services, and 17 per cent reported significant additional investment into back office staff relating to youth services. Forty-eight per cent of councils reported significant additional investment into other areas.

Table three: Since September 2023, how much additional resource have you invested into the following areas?

Unweighted base: all respondents (75).

Eight councils provided ‘other’ answers; these have been grouped into the two areas below:

• investment into creating new opportunities for young people
• working with voluntary or grant-funded organisations.

Table four shows over the next three years 42 per cent of councils said they planned to sharply or slightly increase the number of hours youth service support offered – compared to 27 per cent of councils who said they planned to make no changes, and 10 per cent who said they planned to sharply or slightly decrease youth service support hours.

10 per cent who said they planned to sharply or slightly decrease youth service support hours.

Table four: Over the next three years, how much do you plan, if at all, to increase or decrease the number of hours of youth service support offered?

Unweighted base: all respondents (83).

Councils that had responded that they planned to sharply or slightly increase the number of hours youth service support offered were asked to what extent this was due to the statutory guidance refresh. As Table 5 shows, 41 per cent of these councils said that the increase was not at all due to the refresh, compared to 29 per cent of these councils which attributed it to the refresh to a great or moderate extent. 

Table five: To what extent is this due to the statutory guidance refresh?

Unweighted base: all respondents (35), this was only asked to those that had answered sharply or slightly increased in the previous question.

Respondents were asked if they felt the change in statutory guidance would have resulted in a changed delivery model of youth services in their area. As can be seen in, 24 per cent of councils said that they felt the change in statutory guidance will result in a changed delivery model of youth services in their area to a great or moderate extent – compared to 19 per cent who said that it would not change the delivery model at all. Half (51 per cent) of councils said the statutory guidance update would change the delivery of youth services to a small extent.

Table six: To what extent, if at all, do you feel the change in statutory guidance will result in a changed delivery model of youth services in your area?

Unweighted base: all respondents (83).

Respondents were asked how much they felt the refresh in guidance had or will change how the council works with other partners. As seen in Table seven, 43 per cent of councils said that they felt the change in statutory guidance has not or will not change how their council works with other partners such as health and the voluntary sector very much – compared to 39 per cent who felt it would change a great deal or a fair amount.

Table seven: How much do you feel the change in statutory guidance has or will change how your council works with other partners such as health and the voluntary sector?

Unweighted base: all respondents (83).

Respondents were asked in which areas they thought the government could support to enable further council investment in relation to youth services. As Table eight shows, the majority of councils (90 per cent) highlighted investing in expanding the workforce, 88 per cent chose revenue funding and 73 per cent selected capital funding. 

Table eight: Which of the areas below do you think the government could do to enable further council investment in relation to youth services?

Unweighted base: all respondents (83).

Eighteen councils provided ‘other’ answers; their responses have been grouped into the areas below:

• strengthening statutory guidance on youth workers
• making more grants available 
• introducing a national careers model for youth workers.

Revenue expenditure - youth services

This section focuses on revenue expenditure specific to youth services. Youth services includes open access or universal services which cover a range of leisure, cultural, sporting and enrichment activities, often based around youth centres; and more targeted provision for vulnerable young people, including prevention of and teenage pregnancy advice, youth justice teams, drug and alcohol misuse services and homelessness support.

Respondents were asked if their council’s revenue expenditure on areas of youth services had increased, decreased or no changes were made over the past five years. As Table 9 shows, forty-three per cent of councils said that their councils’ overall revenue on youth services had decreased over the last five years – compared to 36 per cent reporting an increase over the same period. Thirty-seven per cent of councils reported revenue expenditure on open access youth services had decreased – compared to 30 per cent who said it had increased. Revenue expenditure for targeted youth services had increased in 46 per cent of councils, whilst 25 per cent of councils reported a decrease.

Table nine: Over the past five years, has the council’s revenue expenditure on the following areas of youth services increased, decreased or no changes made.

Unweighted base: all respondents (83).

Councils were asked whether, over the past five years, their council’s capital expenditure had increased, decreased or remained the same. More than half of councils said that no changes were made. As seen in Table 10, 24 per cent of councils said that overall capital expenditure on youth services had increased, 51 per cent said it had remained the same, and 22 per cent said it had decreased. Twenty per cent of councils said that capital expenditure for open access had decreased, 57 per cent said it had remained the same, and 19 per cent said it had increased. Twenty-one per cent of councils said in their council capital expenditure for universal youth services had increased – 57 per cent said it had remained the same, whilst 19 per cent said it had decreased. For targeted youth services, 19 per cent of them said it had increased, whereas 18 per cent said it had decreased, and 63 per cent said it had remained the same.

Table 10: Over the past five years, has the council’s capital expenditure on the following areas of youth services increased, decreased or no changes made.

Unweighted base: all respondents (83).

As can be seen in Table 11, when respondents were asked how much change there had been in the number of youth service practitioners working to support young people in their council over the past five years, a substantial proportion said that it had remained the same. 

Forty-five per cent of councils said that the number of qualified youth workers employed by the council had remained the same over this period, whilst 15 per cent said it had increased, and 23 per cent said it had decreased. Thirty-nine per cent of councils reported no change in the number of youth practitioners, 26 per cent said it had decreased and 20 per cent said it had increased. A smaller proportion reported no change in the number of youth service workers volunteering for the council, at 36 per cent, and 21 and 12 per cent reporting a decrease and an increase respectively.

Table 11: Over the past five years, how much change, if at all, has there been in the number of youth service practitioners working to support young people in your council?

Unweighted base: all respondents (83).

Respondents were asked, to the best of their knowledge, to what extent the NHS, police, VCFS and other organisations have changed their level of youth service provision. As seen in Table 12, 26 per cent of councils said the NHS had increased its youth service provision, whilst 23 per cent said it had remained about the same, and 10 per cent saying it had decreased. Thirty-eight per cent of councils said that among the police, the provision had remained about the same – compared to 17 per cent saying it had increased and eight per cent saying it had decreased. The voluntary, community and faith sector (VCFS) had the largest reported increase, at 46 per cent, but also the largest proportion of respondents reporting a decrease, at 12 per cent, and 29 per cent reporting no change. Thirty-three per cent of councils reported no change in other sectors, with 16 per cent reporting an increase and no respondents reporting a decrease.

Table 12: To what extent have the following sectors changed their level of youth service provision, to the best of your knowledge?

Unweighted base: all respondents (81).

Six councils mentioned other sectors; these have been grouped into the categories below:

• Town and parish councils
• Holiday, activities and food funding
• Family help
• Crime prevention

Councils were asked if they were the largest deliverer, commissioner and/or funder of youth services in their area – the results for this question are shown in Table 13. Half (50 per cent) of councils said that they were not the largest deliverer, whilst 43 per cent said that they were. 62 per cent of councils said that they were the largest commissioner of youth services in their area, compared to 21 per cent saying that they were not. Thirty-eight per cent said they were the largest funder in their area, compared to 44 per cent saying that they were not. A larger proportion of respondents answered ‘don’t know’ regarding whether they are the largest commissioner or funder compared to deliverer, resulting in relatively smaller proportions saying both ‘yes’ and ‘no’ to these questions.

Table 13: Is your council the largest deliverer, commissioner and/or funder of youth services in your area?

Unweighted base: all respondents (80)

Where councils were not the largest deliverer, commissioner or funder of youth services in their area, they were asked who was. Table 14 shows the largest deliverer was VCFS, reported by 91 per cent of councils, followed by 18 per cent saying the NHS. Two-fifths (41 per cent) of councils said that the largest commissioner was the NHS; this was followed by 24 per cent saying the police, and closely followed by any other sector (23 per cent). Three-quarters (76 per cent) of councils said that the largest funder was the police – this was followed by 65 per cent who said it was any other sector.

Table 14: If it is not the council, who is the largest deliverer, commissioner and/or funder of youth services in your area.

Unweighted base: This question was only asked to those who had answered the council was not the largest deliverer and/or commissioner and/or funder in the previous question (43).

Thirteen councils reported other deliverers, commissioners and/or funders. These have been grouped into the categories below:

• other councils (district or parish councils)
• charity and/or grant funding.

In September 2023, the previous government published new Statutory guidance for local authorities on services to improve young people’s well-being, updating the document for the first time since 2012. The LGA recognises the pressures facing local authority budgets and some councils have had to change their approach to funding youth services. This survey will help us to understand the extent to which councils have changed their funding and delivery of youth services and if the recently refreshed statutory guidance has had an impact. This will inform the LGA’s discussions with central government.

 and outline what is needed to support councils to deliver their statutory duty.

Please amend the details we have on record if necessary. 

• Name
• Authority
• Job title
• Email address

Part 1 
How the refresh to the statutory guidance has, if at all, had any impact on council approaches to youth services.

Since September 2023, how much additional resource  have you invested into the following areas? 

“Resources” can include funding, but also support to the voluntary sector, and any other activities aiming to support youth  services.

Column headings 

• A great deal
• A fair amount
• Not very much
• Not at all
• Don’t know

Row headings

• Staff to directly deliver youth services
• Back office staff relating to youth services
• Investment into training for youth service practitioners
• Providing infrastructure or strategic support to other organisations
• Other

1. Over the next three years how much do you plan, if at all, to increase or decrease  the number of hours of youth service support  offered?

• Sharply increase 
• Slightly increase 
• Make no changes 
• Slightly decrease 
• Sharply decrease 
• Don’t know 

To what extent is this due to the statutory guidance refresh?

• To a great extent 
• To a moderate extent 
• To a small extent 
• Not at all 
• Don’t know 
   

To what extent, if at all, do you feel the change in statutory guidance will result in a changed delivery model of youth services in your area?

• To a great extent 
• To a moderate extent 
• To a small extent 
• Not at all 
• Don’t know 

How much do you feel the change in statutory guidance has or will change how your council works with the other partners such as health and the voluntary sector?

• A great deal 
• A fair amount 
• Not very much 
• Not at all 
• Don’t know 

Which of the areas below do you think the government could do to enable further council investment in relation to youth services?

Please tick all that apply

• Capital funding 
• Revenue funding
• Guidance for implementation 
• Training for existing staff 
• Investment into expanding the workforce 

Other (please specify below) 

Part 2

The next few questions refer to revenue expenditure specifically on youth services. Youth services includes open access/universal services which covers a range of leisure, cultural, sporting and enrichment activities often based around youth centers; and more targeted provision for vulnerable young people, including teenage pregnancy advice, youth justice teams, drug and alcohol misuse services and homelessness support.

Over past five years, has the council’s revenue expenditure on the following area of youth service increased, decreased or no changes made.

Column headings 

• Sharply increased
• Slightly increased
• Made no change
• Slightly decreased
• Sharply decreased
• Don’t know

Row headings

• Youth services overall
• Open Access
• Universal youth services
• Targeted youth services

Over past five years, has the council’s capital expenditure on the following area of youth service increased, decreased or no changes made.

Column headings 

• Sharply increased
• Slightly increased
• Made no change
• Slightly decreased
• Sharply decreased
• Don’t know

Row headings

• Youth services overall
• Open Access
• Universal youth services
• Targeted youth services

Over the past five years, how much change, if at all, has there been in the number of youth service practitioners working to support young people in your council?  If there are no people engaged in this profession in your council, please click NA.

Column headings 

• Sharply increased
• Slightly increased
• Remained about the same
• Slightly decreased
• Sharply decreased
• Don’t know
• Not applicable

Row headings

• Qualified youth workers employed by the council
• Youth service practitioners employed by the council
• Youth service volunteers volunteering for the council

To what extent have the following sectors changed their level of youth service provision, to the best of your knowledge?

Column headings 

• Sharply increased
• Slightly increased
• Remained about the same
• Slightly decreased
• Sharply decreased
• Don’t know
• Not applicable

Row headings

• NHS
• Police
• Voluntary Community and Faith Sector (VCFS
• Other (please specify)

Is your council the largest deliverer, commissioner and/or funder  of youth services in your area?

Column headings 

• Yes
• No
• Don’t know

Row headings

• Deliverer
• Commissioner
• Funder

From the list below, if it is not the council, please select who is the largest deliverer, commissioner and/or funder of youth services in your area.

Column headings 

• Deliverer
• Commissioner
• Funder

Row headings

• NHS
• Police
• Voluntary Community and Faith Sector (VCFS
• Other (please specify)

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