Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of youth workers on improving young people’s (a) physical and (b) mental health outcomes.

This Government fully recognises the importance of youth services to help young people live safe and healthy lives, and we are committed to giving all young people the chance to reach their full potential. We know that youth workers are vital to youth services, building trusted relationships and creating safe spaces for young people.

That is why this government launched the co-production of an ambitious new National Youth Strategy, which has been developed together with the youth sector. The new National Youth Strategy is being co-produced with cross-sector input from stakeholders working with and for young people, particularly drawing on the connections and expertise of the youth sector.

DCMS has also commissioned research analysis of the Millennium Cohort Study and the UK Households Longitudinal Survey (longitudinal surveys) which found that at the time of participation, regular attendees of youth activities were more likely to be in good health and not drink/take illegal drugs compared to young people who do not attend youth activities.