Supporting young people to stay safe, thrive, and build positive futures
Across England and Wales, a new approach is helping to keep young people safe, reduce vulnerability, and prevent harm before it happens. The Young Futures Prevention Partnership Panels (YFPPPs) bring together local experts to understand the challenges young people face and to offer the right support at the right time. Rooted in the successful Greater Manchester prevention model, the panels are now part of a national effort to strengthen early intervention and create safer communities.
Growing up today can be complicated. Some young people may face difficult situations at home, pressures from peers, exploitation risks, poor mental health, or wider challenges in the community. The Young Futures Panels exist to identify these risks as early as possible and to prevent them from escalating.
Each panel brings together professionals from the organisations that know young people best — schools, police, health teams, local councils, youth services, and community organisations. By sharing information and working collaboratively, they build a complete picture of what a young person might be experiencing. This multi‑agency insight helps ensure no issue is missed and no young person falls through the gaps.
The panels focus on children and young people aged 10 to 17 who may be at risk of harm or being drawn into negative or unsafe situations. When concerns arise, the panel reviews available information, identifies risks and unmet needs, and develops a tailored plan of support. The result might include mentoring, youth work, family support, mental health help, or specialist services. Panels also monitor progress over time to ensure actions are completed and support remains effective.
Panel discussions prioritise the voice of the child. Where consent is provided, a young person’s interests, goals and preferences are incorporated into planning, ensuring decisions feel personal, respectful, and rooted in what matters to them.
What we’re learning from the pilot areas
Early insights from the first phase of delivery show the panels are having a significant impact:
They are filling important gaps in early support.
Local areas report that the panels are helping identify young people whose risks were previously hidden or misunderstood. Many have complex needs or do not meet traditional thresholds for statutory services. The panels ensure help is available before a crisis emerges.
Multi-agency collaboration is stronger than ever.
Professionals describe the panels as highly cooperative spaces where agencies share responsibility and make decisions together. Escalation routes are clear, and joint working with services like youth justice has become more coordinated and effective.
Young people’s voices shape the support they receive.
Panels consistently use child‑centred approaches — listening to what young people enjoy, what they find difficult, and what they want for the future. This helps build trust and encourages better engagement with support.
Support is accountable and action focused.
Panels revisit previous cases, review actions, celebrate progress, and adapt plans where needed. This ongoing attention ensures no young person is overlooked. Creative problem‑solving is used where engagement is difficult, including outreach to parents or alternative routes into support.
Across all pilot areas, the scale of delivery is growing, with 53 panels in operation, around 2,000 children and young people discussed, and more than 1,000 referred on to positive, strengths‑based support.
A national programme with a long-term vision
The Young Futures Panels began in Greater Manchester, where PIED – Prevention, Intervention, Education and Diversion panels – were established in 2020. Their success led the Home Office to adopt the model nationally as part of the Safer Streets strategy, which aims to halve knife crime and reduce violence against women and girls within the next decade. Panels now operate in 20 local authority areas, with further expansion planned for 2026–27.
YFPPPs sit alongside another key part of the programme: Young Futures Hubs, which provide open‑access spaces for young people and offer positive activities, trusted relationships, and targeted support. Together, the panels and hubs form a wider system designed to keep young people safe and help them succeed.
What this means for communities
By working across services and acting early, the Young Futures approach aims to:
The programme is grounded in four core principles identified by national partners: