In Sweden, youth work is seen as a part of youth policy where the responsibility rests at the local level. That means that youth work is a municipal responsibility, steered and financed at local level both when it comes to outreach activities and to youth centres and youth clubs.

What is more, the concept of youth work is seldom used. Instead, in government policy documents the concept of meaningful leisure activities (meningsfull fritid) is central. That concept relates both to mainly membership-based activities in youth organisations and to open meeting places for young people such as youth clubs or recreational centres (öppna fritidsverksamheter).

The Ministry of Health and Social Affairs (Socialdepartementet) is in charge of youth policy, and indirectly also for youth work. The Swedish Agency for Youth and Civil Society (MUCF) works to ensure that the objectives of youth policy will be achieved. According to its instruction, the Swedish Agency for Youth and Civil society (MUCF) is to ensure that all young people have meaningful and developing leisure activities. Since 2017, the agency has been supporting open leisure activities and supports efforts to increase the skills of those who work with young people.