The year-long review, conducted by the charity 4Children and funded byfood manufacturer Nestle, was chaired by former MP Oona King. Over16,000 young people were interviewed around the country, as well asparents, teachers and youth workers.
Anne Longfield, chief executive of 4Children, said, 'The two reallystrong points that were universal across the country were, first, thatchildren were very fearful about their own safety, and second, that 80per cent felt they did not have places to go with positive opportunitiesand things to do.'
Ms Longfield added, 'I think youth services are where early yearsservices were ten or even 20 years ago in terms of the disjointed natureof these services. There are things we've learned from Sure Start thatcan be applied to youth action about the model and the delivery and alsothe scale of investment and the roll-out.
'We have to realise that early years support is not an inoculation forlife,' she said.
The review recommended that 2,000 youth centres should be establishedand that more support should be offered to parents, and includedproposals for mobile intervention teams, youth mayor schemes and freetravel and leisure provision.
- (Pictured) Singer Lily Allen and former Labour MP Oona King outsidethe Houses of Parliament with children from London schools.
