Supporting the development of quality youth work is a priority for the European Union and its Member States. They aim to create or enhance comprehensive youth work policies by complementing broader youth initiatives with legal frameworks. The majority of countries include youth work in national policies or strategies that define the scope of youth work and its goals.

Four countries have established independent youth work strategies or youth work acts. These documents delineate the overarching framework for the regulation of the youth work sector, identify fundamental principles and set clear aims. Ten countries have inserted guidelines for youth work in their national youth strategy or youth law. In this case, youth work is addressed as one of the main fields of youth policy. In nine countries, youth work is regulated by general laws, which can discipline aspects such as the education and training of youth workers, the recognition of their competences, and level of resources. In the remaining countries, youth work is not regulated centrally, while its coordination and supervision can take place at local level.