Our impact
Every year, we help tens of thousands of young people to live safer, happier, healthier lives. Whether they’re trapped in poverty, experiencing or at risk of exploitation, struggling with their mental health, or in the care system — we’re here for them when they need us most. We also work with the professionals who shape their lives, so they can better support them. And, together with our supporters, we fight alongside young people for the rights and protections that have the potential to make life better for millions more.
Download the Impact Report
facts about our impact
73,186
young people were reached through our work in 2025-26
98%
of young people said they felt listened to by us*
4,157
young people shared their views through youth voice opportunities
Feedback data based on
*Feedback data based on 1,449 responses from children and young people supported through our services in 2025-26.
Teenhood today
Teenhood today
Young people are growing up in a world that feels increasingly difficult to navigate. Their wellbeing is declining, support services are under pressure, and too many face poverty, abuse and exploitation.
But change is possible.
With the right support, at the right time, young people can feel safer, stronger and more able to shape their futures.
That support gave me hope, helped me grow as a person, and showed me that my future could be brighter than I ever imagined.
Wellbeing services
If you or someone you know need to talk to someone, we have places where you can drop in and see someone - quick, easy, no stress.
What changed for young people?
We measure the difference our work makes by looking at outcomes including wellbeing, safety, and skills and experience gained by young people during their time with us. We also gather their feedback on our support.
- 90% of young people improved in at least one outcome
- 79% improved in their sense of safety
- 75% improved in their wellbeing
All figures are based on children and young people who have outcomes data recorded – not all young people we work with have a complete set of outcomes tools or complete a set of outcomes tools. Goal based outcomes data based on 1,853 children and young people.
Improving young lives
Every day, we work with young people, their parents and carers, teachers, and community leaders to directly improve young lives.
The numbers show the scale of our work. But hearing from young people themselves shows the difference it makes.
If it wasn’t for The Children’s Society, I don’t know where I would be.
our impact with young people
Young people’s mental health and wellbeing
Our services are as varied as the experiences of the young people we meet. Because every situation is different, we work with the individual in front of us, providing tailored support that works for them. That could mean supporting their wellbeing through one-to-one counselling, group work, or practical and emotional support.
Our emotional and mental wellbeing drop-in services have no waiting lists, and young people don’t need a referral or an appointment to get the help they need. With 46% of young people waiting for support from mental health services waiting more than a year, and 14% waiting more than two years, the need is high.
We want to open more drop-in services like these, so every teen has a safe place to go and someone to talk to as soon as they need it.
Supporting young people who have experienced harm
Some young people face experiences no one should have to. We make sure they don’t face them alone. Our services provide a safety net when young people have not received support early enough. Last year, 56 of our 87 services supported young people experiencing or at risk of experiencing harm like abuse and exploitation.
We help young people to feel safer, process what has happened, and build the skills and confidence they need to move forward.
The need for this support is urgent.
At least 12,120 young people were affected by sexual exploitation in the year ending March 2025, while social workers reported more than 16,000 young people experiencing criminal exploitation in a recent year.
We’re working to make sure more young people can get the right support, at the right time, so they always have somewhere safe to turn.
our impact with exploitation
Amplifying young voices
Young people’s views and experiences shape everything we do – from the support we provide, to the way we campaign and influence change.
Last year, 4,157 young people shared their views and shaped our work through youth voice opportunities. This influenced our hiring process for senior roles, improvements to services – such as making them feel less clinical and more welcoming – and even our governance, through our young trustees.
- 100% said taking part helped them feel more confident.
- 82% said they felt they were making a difference.
Through feedback and research programmes, they also tell us what issues are important to them and affecting their lives, and what should be done about them.
These figures come from a youth voice satisfaction survey that we piloted this year with young people who participated in our youth voice activities. We received 78 responses.
Improving the systems that shape young lives
Being there for young people when they need us makes a huge difference. But to improve young lives for the longer term and on a mass scale, we also need to change the systems around them.
We strengthen professional practice, training those who work or come into contact with young people to better support them. We also help shape guidance and procedures so that young people’s voices are heard and their rights are protected in decisions that affect them.
Our work has contributed to significant change this year, including the removal of the two-child benefit cap – estimated to lift almost half a million children out of poverty.
Our research, including our state-of-the-nation Good Childhood Report, brings together the views of thousands of young people to help shape services, policy and public debate.
Because changing one young person’s life matters. But changing the systems around them has the potential to change what happens next for millions more.
I would say thank you to supporters, I think they’re putting their money in a very good place.
Service spotlight: CARE Together
CARE Together supports young people identified as at risk of, or previously having been a victim of, child sexual exploitation. The service focuses on improving young people’s safety, increasing awareness of risk, and supporting emotional wellbeing and mental health. Support helps young people understand and respond to sexual exploitation – including issues of grooming, relationships, online risks and safety planning. It also helps build confidence and self-esteem.
Our practitioners built trusted relationships with young people and worked closely with statutory partners to strengthen safeguarding and responses to emerging risks. Recognising the wider impact of sexual exploitation on families, the service is also open to parents and carers.
“Supporters are putting their money in a very good place.” “Supporters are putting their money in a very good place.”
What this means for young people
The young people we worked with were given a safe, confidential space where their needs were centred, where they could talk openly about their experiences and process them. This helped young people build confidence and strengthen their ability to recognise and respond to risks of child sexual exploitation.
Read about more of our services and areas of work.
Looking ahead
Our impact report shows what’s possible when young people get the right support at the right time. But too many are still growing up without the safety, support and opportunities they need.
That’s why we’re raising the alarm to Save Teenhood – to make sure every teen has a safe place to go, and an expert to talk to, whenever they need it.
We’re already working to:
- Scale early support services, so more young people can get help before problems escalate into crises.
- Support young people affected by criminal and sexual exploitation, including those experiencing or at risk of harm.
- Ensure the Government puts young people’s wellbeing at the heart of policies, while holding it accountable for doing so.
Make a difference with us
There are many ways to get involved in the mission to Save Teenhood.
Whether you’re interested in our specialist training, commissioning services, making a difference as a corporate partner or as a researcher exploring issues affecting young people, there are lots of ways you can partner with us.
You can also give your time, money, and voice to Save Teenhood by fundraising, donating, campaigning, or volunteering with us.
Will you stand alongside young people today, and help Save Teenhood?
