Consultation secures backing for ‘transformative’ youth work Bill at Holyrood

Scotland’s Children’s Commissioner and the chairwoman of the Scottish Youth Parliament have both backed plans for “transformative” legislation from a Labour MSP which aims to ensure all children can benefit from youth work services.

Martin Whitfield, Labour spokesman for children and young people at Holyrood, launched a consultation ahead of bringing forward a member’s Bill at Holyrood that he says would make “youth work a cornerstone of every young person’s life in Scotland”.

Youth workers work with children and young people, helping to support their social, emotional and educational development.

If passed, the proposed Youth Work (Scotland) Bill would mean that all young people aged between 11 and 25 should be able to access such help if needed, by creating a new legal obligation on local councils to provide youth work services.

It comes as Scotland’s Children and Young People’s Commissioner Nicola Killean complained that the  provision of youth work services is “inconsistent” and “children in many areas of Scotland have little or no access to this important support”.

She hailed youth workers as being “frontline workers who make a huge difference to the lives of the children they work with”, but said many organisations providing such help had to deal with “insecure funding” – with this in turn impacting their ability to provide “sustained support” to youngsters.

Ms Killean said: “This Bill will ensure that all children have the right to access quality youth work while prioritising children who are furthest from having their rights realised.”

Meanwhile, Ellie Craig MSYP, chairwoman of the Scottish Youth Parliament, said they were “delighted” with the proposed legislation.

She stated: “Members of the Scottish Youth Parliament believe that young people across Scotland should have a right to high quality youth work services, whether that be through their local authority or via the third sector.”

Mr Whitfield, meanwhile, said that by creating a legal obligation for local authorities to provide universal and targeted youth work services his Bill ensures that “no young person is excluded from the opportunities they need to succeed”.

He stated: “My proposed Youth Work (Scotland) Bill would be a transformative piece of legislation that would make youth work a cornerstone of every young person’s life in Scotland.

“Youth work is more than just services – it is about creating a pathway for young people to grow, develop and contribute to their communities.

“Throughout my time as an MSP, I have seen the incredible impact that youth work has on building confidence, resilience and life skills.

“This legislation recognises and celebrates that value, enshrining it in law to guarantee opportunities for generations to come.”

Tim Frew, chief executive officer at YouthLink Scotland, the national agency for youth work, also welcomed the consultation on the Bill, saying it recognised the importance of “strengthening youth work services across the country”.

He said: “This consultation is a crucial opportunity to ensure youth work is embedded in legislation, guaranteeing universal access to high-quality services for all young people, regardless of their background or location.”