Youth homelessness in Wales remains a critical and complex issue and, despite ongoing policy efforts and statutory interventions, many young people continue to fall through gaps created by fragmented systems. This analysis explores how a youth work approach, grounded in relational practice, voluntary engagement and rights-based support, can strengthen preventative responses to youth homelessness in Wales.

The work is presented within the context of a shifting policy landscape, including the proposed Statutory Framework for Youth Work and the Homelessness and Social Housing Allocation (Wales) Bill (2025). These developments signal growing recognition of youth work’s potential to address complex social challenges, yet its integration within statutory homelessness pathways remains inconsistent. This analysis aims to bridge the gap between policy and practice by offering evidence-informed insights into how youth work can be more effectively embedded in national and local prevention frameworks.

Drawing on the lived experiences of Youth Homelessness Coordinators across all twenty-two Welsh local authorities, the presentation captures thematic learning generated through a mixed-methods approach, including survey responses and semi-structured interviews. Key themes include early intervention and prevention, youth work values and principles, collaborative working, systemic barriers, challenges in measuring impact, and implications for future policy development. Participants highlighted that early, relational engagement before a crisis is essential. Youth workers are uniquely positioned to build trust, resilience and protective factors among young people. However, practitioners also reported that funding instability, fragmented services and statutory tensions limit the preventative potential of youth work

Traditional impact measurement tools were also viewed as insufficient for capturing relational and developmental outcomes, with practitioners advocating for mixed-methods evaluation frameworks that prioritise youth voice.

This analysis is underpinned by a critical realist perspective, supported by Thompson’s PCS model and the ethical lens of Bessant and Watts’ phronetic practice, offering a multi-layered understanding of the personal, cultural and structural drivers of youth homelessness.

Overall, the findings demonstrate that youth work provides a distinctive and transformative lens for preventing youth homelessness in Wales. To fully realise this potential, youth work must be strategically integrated into national and local frameworks, supported by sustainable funding, and recognised for its relational ethos. The presentation concludes with recommendations aimed at embedding youth work more effectively within homelessness prevention strategies to ensure young people receive developmentally appropriate, rights-based support tailored to their evolving needs.