Cat Smith – 2020 Comments on a Lost Generation of Teenagers

Below is the text of the comments made by Cat Smith, the Shadow Minister for Young People, on 7 July 2020.

Vulnerable young people have been falling through the gaps in support since long before the coronavirus pandemic. With youth services decimated by the Tories over the last decade, young people have nowhere to turn for professional support during these difficult times.

Youth services in England have fallen by £1 billion since 2010, a reduction of 73%. This report shows that the Government must urgently invest in youth services, to support and re-engage vulnerable young people coming out of lockdown.