A SAMPLE OF 24 SOCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT AREAS THROUGHOUT ENGLAND AND WALES, SELECTED ON THE BASIS OF GEOGRAPHY, POPULATION, AND URBAN/RURAL BALANCE, WAS SURVEYED BY QUESTIONNAIRE. DATA WERE ALSO GATHERED BY INTERVIEWS WITH IT OFFICERS. THE PRIMARY FINDING WAS THAT IT IS INCONSISTENT FROM AREA TO AREA IN TERMS OF BUDGET SIZE, PERSONNEL AND COLLABORATION WITH OTHER AGENCIES. IT WAS ALSO FOUND THAT IT HAS NOT CONSISTENTLY PROMOTED COLLABORATION AMONG PROBATION OFFICERS, TEACHERS, POLICEMEN, YOUTH WORKERS, AND OTHER PROFESSIONS INVOLVED IN YOUTH WORK; INSTEAD IT HAS BECOME PREDOMINANTLY A SERVICE RELYING HEAVILY ON THE INTEREST AND GOOD WILL OF SOCIAL WORKERS, MANY OF WHOM ARE DOING IT WORK IN ADDITION TO THE JOB FOR WHICH THEY ARE PAID. MOREOVER, IT IS FINDING IT DIFFICULT TO ESTABLISH ITS PECULIAR IDENTITY WITH SOCIAL WORK BECAUSE IT IS UNABLE TO ARTICULATE ITS PECULIARITIES; THEREFORE IT LOOKS LIKE 'SOCIAL WORKERS RUNNING YOUTH CLUBS.' IT IS CAUGHT UP IN A WAR OF VESTED INTERESTS, IN THAT IT WORKERS STRONGLY RESIST THE REMOVAL OF DELINQUENTS FROM THEIR OWN NEIGHBORHOODS TO RESIDENTIAL CARE FACILITIES; AND IT IS CHARACTERIZED BY ALIENATED WORKERS, WHOSE WORK IS NOT VIEWED AS CREDIBLE AMONG THEIR COLLEAGUES IN RELATED PROFESSIONS. RECOMMENDATIONS MADE ARE THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES (DHSS) DELINEATE POLICY GUIDELINES FOR LOCAL AUTHORITIES AND AGENCIES, THAT DHSS OPENLY SEEK GREATER INTER-DEPARTMENTAL COLLABORATION TO ACHIEVE A STRONGER COMMITMENT TO IT, AND THAT DHSS OBTAIN A CLEAR, NON-TECHNICAL STATEMENT OF REQUIRED IT SKILLS AND ABILITIES FROM THOSE ENGAGED IN IT WORK AT THE GRASS-ROOTS. DHSS SHOULD ALSO CONSIDER IT TRAINING NEEDS, AND INSTALL AN IT ADVISOR IN EACH REGION TO GIVE SUPPORT TO IT WORK, IN THE CHILDREN'S REGIONAL PLANNING COMMITTEES. SOCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENTS COMMITMENT TO IT SHOULD BE REVIEWED IN TERMS OF FUNDING AND ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT, AND SOCIAL SERVICE DEPARTMENTS SHOULD DECREASE THE WORK LOAD OF SOCIAL WORKERS.