Funding to ensure vulnerable young people get support from trusted adults

The Home Office has awarded £13 million to local authorities to help young people at risk of abuse by giving them positive role models, such as teachers, youth workers, police officers, nurses and other professionals.

Eleven local authorities have been allocated a share of the Trusted Relationship Fund – a scheme that attempts to intervene early if a child is at risk of abuse or being drawn into criminality by helping foster close relationships with trusted adults in the community.

A trusted relationship with an adult is an important part of programmes to support vulnerable children, and that the lack of trusted relationships is consistently cited as a contributing factor in cases of child sexual abuse and exploitation, a Home Office-commissioned review by the Early Intervention Foundation found.

Existing projects have included working with expelled youngsters to divert them from harm and criminality back towards education, and providing specialist support to children with special educational needs, disabilities and others at risk of being drawn into sexual exploitation.

Work has also been done to deliver youth work on the streets to draw children away from threats such as child sexual exploitation or county lines, and working working with parents and foster carers to improve family relationships.

Rotherham Council, Greater Manchester Combined Authority, Hounslow Council, North Yorkshire County Council & York Council, Ealing Council and North East Lincolnshire Council have received funding.

Bradford Council, Hackney Council, North Somerset District Council, Barnet Council and Northampton Borough Council will also benefit from the funding.