Government to start using Facebook to interact with young people

The Local Government Information Unit (LGIU) is making available a guide on social networking so that children's professionals can effectively communicate with young people online.

The guide, entitled Social Media Youth Participation in Local Democracy, will cover topics such as using social networking sites such as Facebook, blogging, and uploading videos to YouTube. It will also cover social networking communication in joint commissioning.

Jasmine Ali, head of the LGIU's Children Services Network, said: "Young people are using social media sites such as Facebook for around two and half hours a day. It is important that young people's professionals feel confident enough to communicate with them this way. It is no longer relevant to dismiss social media as being simply counter-culture."

This latest guide follows the publication by the LGIU of a report in the summer called Local Government 3.0:How Councils can Respond to the New Web Agenda, which can be found here: