AllChild’s response to the Government’s National Youth Strategy

This week’s publication of the National Youth Strategy - first announced last November at an AllChild event in Wigan - marks the first national youth strategy in over two decades, a development that AllChild warmly welcomes. It brings an important national focus to the voices, experiences, and aspirations of young people across England.

What young people have said

The State of the Nation report, which shares the findings from the Government’s engagement with young people across the country over the last year, including with AllChild Alumni, provides a powerful reflection of the realities facing young people today.

• Around 1 in 5 young people say they do not have a trusted adult outside of their family.
• A third of young people said they felt alone or lonely some of the time.
• Nearly half of young people say they spend the majority of their spare time in their bedroom.
• Half of young people say that they do not have access to a youth service or know what is available in their area.
• Young people consistently shared that they want more opportunities to take part in collective events and activities, to strengthen belonging and a sense of community.

This evidence shows that young people want their voices to be heard and acted upon, and that they are clear about the changes needed to improve their lives, with trusted adults, local opportunities and meaningful participation at the heart of that - and they are ready to work with the adults around them to see this through. As the Youth Advisory Group put it, “Young people remain ready and willing to play their part… We’re willing to step up, are you?”

Recognising the role of trusted adults

For the first time, the Strategy provides strong national recognition of the critical role trusted adults play in a young person’s life. By 2035, the Government aims for half a million more young people to have access to a trusted adult outside their home, committing £15million over the next three years to strengthen the trusted adult workforce.

AllChild hugely welcomes this recognition and commitment. We know that trusted adults, including AllChild Link Workers, youth workers, mentors, and many other roles, all play a vital part in supporting young people’s wellbeing, development and outcomes. Trusted adult relationships can be the foundation for meaningful participation in support and opportunities and provide a critical springboard for other healthy relationships with peers and adults. The Strategy’s investment to strengthen this workforce is an important step towards ensuring that every young person has a trusted adult outside their home.

We also see value in further guidance on the different types of trusted adult roles and the levels of need they are well placed to support.  All trusted adult roles - including sports coaches, youth workers, mentors, teachers and LinkWorkers - play important parts within a wider system and it is vital that young people can access both trusted adults, as well as the programmatic support and opportunities that role can either provide itself, depending on the type, or mobilise from other specialists, tailored to their own unique needs and context. Clearer national guidance on the roles, purposes, scope and intended outcomes of trusted adult provision would support consistency and coordination, helping local areas and providers scale provision in a needs and impact-led way, and ensuring that every young person - particularly those facing multiple, overlapping challenges - has a consistent trusted adult supporting them and enabling them to access the additional opportunities and specialist support they need.

Other important developments

•  Local partnerships: We welcome the Government’s recognition of the importance of strong local partnerships between civil society, schools, and government and commitments to improve multi-agency provision and partnerships between schools and local organisations. At AllChild, building local cross-sector partnerships rooted in shared trust, data, and outcomes has long been central to our approach. We hope these commitments translate into practical, locally led action that strengthens existing community assets, fills gaps without duplication and breaks down policy siloes, both nationally and locally.
• Place-based funding and philanthropy: The Strategy’s emphasis on match funding, local partnerships, and philanthropic investment aligns with AllChild's collective impact funding model.Joining up funding strategically can maximise the impact of public and philanthropic money, deliver more joined-up services operationally for families, and ensure that local resources are used where they are needed most, including historically underfunded services. We welcome this approach and look forward to seeing it implemented in a way that supports coordinated local delivery and strengthens the wider system.

The Strategy shows clear investment and commitment to responding to the voices of young people and to the changes they want to see. We believe that trusted adults remain the foundation for delivering the Strategy in practice, including ensuring that the benefits of its various initiatives - from Young Futures Hubs to a core enrichment offer - can be realised in full. Strong, locally embedded trusted adult relationships are key to ensuring that young people, particularly those facing multiple challenges, can access the support and opportunities they need to flourish.

Read the full Strategy here - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/youth-matters-your-national-youth-strategy/youth-matters-your-national-youth-strategy#executive-summary