At risk on the streets
Our goal:
The risk of young people on the streets is reduced by a new, flexible approach that meets the needs they identify.
Our research:
We are the UK’s leading research team on issues relating to young runaways and young people at risk on the streets. In partnership with researchers at University of York we have undertaken the two most substantial major studies of running away and the only large-scale evaluation of runaways projects in the UK to date.
We recently published, jointly with the Policy team, research into current provision of runaways services in England. This report has been very positively received by the government – see Policy pages for further information.
We are currently working on two joint projects with NSPCC and University of York which focus on safeguarding issues for older young people. We are leading on one of these projects – entitled Safeguarding Young People – which is funded by the Big Lottery Research Grants Programme. .
Stepping Up: The Future For Young Runaways
Stepping Up sets out a comprehensive review of services for runaways. It poses a set of challenges and provides a set of possible solutions.
Still Running 2: Findings from the Second National Survey of Young Runaways
This national research, a follow-up to a previous, similar study in 1999, surveyed a representative sample of 11,000 young people aged 14 to16 in 16 areas of England. The report presents up-to-date findings on the numbers and characteristics of young people who run away, the reasons why they run away, and their experiences whilst away from home.
Thrown Away: The experience of children forced to leave home
This is the first UK report to focus specifically on this issue. It provides information about which young
people are likely to be forced to leave; describes the background to their situations and their
experiences whilst away from home; and explores responses to their needs.
Responding to Young Runaways: An Evaluation of 19 Projects
This study, funded by the DfES, is the only current large-scale UK evaluation of work with young runaways. It reports on the learning from 19 pilot projects (also funded by the DfES), which operated throughout England during 2003 and 2004. The report contains detailed findings on the characteristics of the young people with whom projects worked, the processes and models of practice and the outcomes of the projects' work.