The economic, social and educational needs of rural youth in England and Wales are not being met. Rural youth are defined as all young people between the ages of 10 and 25 living in areas more than 30 miles from towns of 250,000 inhabitants, or 20 miles from towns whose population is between 50,000 and 250,000. The rapid decrease in the agricultural workforce, due to mechanisation and the increased skills level required of farm workers, has caused a high level of unemployment for young people in rural areas, leaving them little choice of high level job satisfaction in their own communities. Lack of accessibility to community resources, based on poor public transportation and decreased car ownership, has caused disadvantages to rural youth in traveling to leisure and social events, work sites, and schools. Low levels of educational attainment have come about because of disadvantaging family circumstances, such as low income, poor housing, social stress, and low educational aspirations, as well as the factor of remoteness. Serious attention from local governments and policy makers, and especially from the Youth Service, is needed so that the neglect of rural youth can be acknowledged and corrected. (JD)