Today, the Centre for Young Lives is publishing a new briefing, Young Futures: opening up opportunities for and supporting care-experienced children and young people.

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Young Futures builds on the central recommendation of the Commission on Young Lives – the precursor to the Centre for Young Lives – which called for a “Sure Start for Teenagers” model of early intervention and support to stop vulnerable young people from falling through the gaps in education and social services. This model recognised the crucial importance of early help for young people who are struggling, a more inclusive education system, mental health support for young people, family support, and a care system that supports those on the edge of care and puts more emphasis on prevention and kinship care.

Published today, this briefing sets out how Young Futures Hubs can strengthen systems of support for care-experienced children and young people. It sets out practical examples of proven models and approaches which Hubs could adopt to specifically support care-experienced children and young people. We hope these insights can help inform the continued development and delivery of Young Futures Hubs as the wider rollout progresses.

The policy briefing follows this week’s announcement of the 25 local authorities which will host the wider rollout of hubs. These hubs have three core aims: to improve young people’s mental health, reduce their involvement or risk of involvement in violence and crime, and increase access to opportunities, including employment.

Key recommendations:

- Young Futures Hubs should have dedicated outreach to care-experienced children and young people, including through detached youth work and a digital offer

- Young Futures Hubs should be closely integrated with local authority leaving care services and Personal Advisers

- Young Futures Hubs should include dedicated care-experienced leads who take a proactive approach to coordinating support for care leavers

- Young Futures Hubs should work closely with Virtual Schools to identify, engage and support care-experienced children and young people

- Young Futures Hubs should provide opportunities for care-experienced young people to build positive peer relationships and social connections

- Young Futures Hubs should offer stronger diversion routes for highly vulnerable children

- Young Futures Hubs should include a comprehensive mental health offer

- Young Futures Hubs should provide practical employment support for care-experienced young people

- Young Futures Hubs provide an offer of inspirational programmes of open-access activities and opportunities

Supported by the Hadley Trust, this paper is part of a series of briefings setting out good practice in support for young people through the Young Futures programme. It builds on previous publications by the Centre for Young Lives, a Framework for Young Futures, and briefings on mental health support in Young Futures, meeting the needs of young women and girls in the implementation and delivery of Young Futures Hubs, and the role of Young Futures in boosting youth employment.