Funding situation for young peoples’ services

Youth Access has published the results of a survey on the funding situation faced by Youth Information, Advice, Counselling and Support (YIACS) services, as well as the direct impacts on young people. It makes for some pretty sobering reading, including the following headlines:

Agencies are struggling to cope with multiple cuts:

* 97% of agencies report reductions to at least one current source of statutory funding
* 92% of agencies in receipt of local authority funding report cuts to this source
* 86% expect their overall income to be lower in 2011/12

Vital services delivered by YIACS will be lost:

* 42% of agencies are at risk of closure this year, with 7% already certain to close
* Three-quarters of the youth advice services, drug/alcohol services and sexual health services and half of the youth counselling services delivered by YIACS are set to either cease this year or continue at a reduced level

Demand from young people is still increasing:

* 80% of agencies have seen an increase in demand for their services from young people
* Problems are becoming more complex, particularly for young adults

Vulnerable young people will be left without help:

* 85% of agencies don’t expect to meet demand over the next 12 months
* At least 45,000 young people will be left without access to services they depend on

See attached document for full report.