West Derby MP attacks devastating impact of austerity on youth services

At today’s Westminster Hall debate on “youth crime and anti-social behaviour", West Derby MP Ian Byrne spoke about the impact of Tory austerity on young people and the savage Tory cuts to youth services. He called for urgently need funding for youth centres, mentoring services and youth mental health services.

Mr Byrne highlighted the scale of devastating Government cuts to youth services:
“Since austerity began in 2010 by the Conservative/Lib Dem Government, Liverpool City Council has seen its funding reduced by 65% and despite this Government declaring that the age of austerity is over, the cuts to our funding continue to be made and the consequences for our young people and the youth services and facilities they need, continue to be felt.

“According to research from trade union UNISON, between 2010 and 2019 youth services in the UK suffered cuts of £400 million. This will have meant the loss of more than 4,500 youth work jobs and more than 760 youth centres since 2012.

”Youth centres shut and sometimes the only sporting facilities available are privatised facilities charging £70 an hour to families struggling through austerity and now a cost of living crisis. Many of children have not got a chance because opportunity and services are not available to all.”

Mr Byrne paid tribute to service staff, teachers, parents and community groups across West Derby who are working to support young people through these difficult times and called on the Government Minister to urgently restore funding for youth centres, mentoring services and youth mental health services.”

Addressing the Minister, Ian Byrne MP said:

“We desperately need the funding and policies from the Government to support and nurture our young people,so in their reply, will the Minister:

 - Commit to providing the vital funding that councils need to invest in youth services and facilities for our young people? So many facilities have been lost in the last decade and I have no doubt had they remained open, of the positive outcomes they would have had for so many young people.

 - Next, will the Minister explain the Government’s strategy to support pupils and schools so that young people do not face exclusions and the lifelong damage this can have?

 - And will the Minister commit to funding for young people’s mental health services, as well as early intervention mentoring programmes and specialist children’s services?

“…This should not be a postcode lottery - we need provisions for our youth and preventative measures putting in place as an investment to ensure our children have a level playing field and a bright future.”