Towards safety: the enablers and barriers that create safety in and around youth work organisations

Abstract

In light of significant failings to respond to extra-familial harm (EFH) within organisations tasked with statutory duties to protect and promote the welfare of young people, this paper considers the contribution youth work can play in this area. This exploratory study with three universal youth work organisations, explores what role youth work can play in responding to harm young people experience outside of the home? It draws on data from observations, policy reviews, focus groups and interviews and uses a multi-stage analysis process involving sense-checking focus groups with youth work representatives. The findings show that youth work plays a significant role in creating safety from EFH for young people and that this is achieved when youth work can work to its core values. Drawing on the data, mechanisms for practice improvement for the sector that can support organisations to consider their own protective capacity are identified. We argued that youth work should not only be included in existing safeguarding partnerships, but that partnerships are transformed by the learnings from youth work. For this to happen it is imperative that youth work is properly resourced and funded.