Children's minister, Beverley Hughes, is today (Thursday) expected to launch a review calling for an expansion in youth services. It followed comments by Cabinet Office secretary, Ed Miliband, that there had been a ‘slow decline' in the importance attached to youth services since the 1960s and, worse still, they had never been a top priority. Plans will build on the Making Space review, chaired by former MP, Oona King, which warned four in 10 children ended up wandering the streets because they had nothing to do. Speaking at a conference two weeks ago, Ms Hughes gave an insight into some of the content of the review, saying good responsive childcare and other services for children and families must be accepted as playing an important role in ‘supporting our economic prosperity.' Anne Longfield, chief executive of 4Children, said: ‘The Government puts a lot of money into young children, but all we have offered teenagers so far is ASBOs. The teenage years are a crucial stage when strong and sometimes negative pathways into adulthood and life chances are formed.'