Youth support – Future4me
Future4Me offer direct work and consultation to support a broad range of young people known to children’s services in Lincolnshire.
The multi-disciplinary team is a responsive and skilled workforce meeting the diverse and complex needs of our young people. They facilitate timely and appropriate intervention so that:
- children are supported without the need for statutory intervention - either through social care or youth justice
- older adolescents are supported to remain with their existing carers (where this is safe) and there is a reduction in late entrants into the care system
- relationships are maintained with key professionals accessing specialised wrap-around support from both complex needs services (including psychology and speech and language) together with positive activities
- victims of crime are supported and given a voice through restorative practice to ensure safe communities
- children and young people are fully supported to realise their potential
In the year from April 2023 to March 2024, the team supported 497 children in the youth justice cohort. The data below shows a summary of their characteristics by:
- gender
- age
- nationality
- ethnicity
- religion
Where numbers are below five, these have been grouped.
Children and young people by gender
| Gender | Number of young people | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Male | 359 | 72.2% |
| Female | 136 | 27.4% |
| Other or unknown | 2 | 0.4% |
| Total | 497 | 100.0% |
Children and young people by religion
| Religion | Number of young people | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 353 | 71.0% |
| Agnostic | 23 | 4.6% |
| Christian (any) | 43 | 8.7% |
| Atheist | 14 | 2.8% |
| Other (including no religion) | 64 | 12.9% |
| Total | 497 | 100.0% |
Children and young people by age (as at 1 October 2023 (mid-point))
| Age | Number of young people | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 10 and 11 | 13 | 2.6% |
| 12 | 32 | 6.4% |
| 13 | 56 | 11.3% |
| 14 | 60 | 12.1% |
| 15 | 114 | 22.9% |
| 16 | 87 | 17.5% |
| 17 | 95 | 19.1% |
| 18 and 19 | 40 | 8.0% |
| Total | 497 | 100.0% |
Children and young people by nationality
| Nationality | Number of young people | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Europe | 43 | 8.7% |
| UK | 413 | 83.1% |
| Unknown | 37 | 7.4% |
| The rest of the world | 4 | 0.8% |
| Total | 497 | 100% |
Children and young people by ethnicity
| Ethnicity | Number of young people | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White British | 406 | 81.7% |
| Other White background | 56 | 11.3% |
| Black, Asian or other Ethnic Minority Background | 31 | 6.2% |
| Unknown | 4 | 0.8% |
| Total | 497 | 100.0% |
There are some gaps in recording which impacts on the quality of data. This continues to be addressed, and it remains a priority to improve the accuracy of data collection.
Future4Me focuses on equality, diversity and inclusion both at a strategic and operational level so the service can respond to the needs of children across Lincolnshire and consider new initiatives and interventions based on trend data. The data captured has been increased to include:
- pregnancy
- substance misuse
- accommodation
- mental health and wellbeing
- sexual orientation
- education training and employment status
This information is routinely shared and scrutinised to understand the demographics of the children and young people supported by the Future4Me team. Staff training, quality assurance work, data accuracy and practice guidance also underpins the Future4Me commitment to ensuring equality of services for young people. Operational tools and guidance have been updated and reviewed as we continue to strive to strengthen practice in this area. Where appropriate this includes input and feedback from children and families together with consultation with colleagues in specialist roles to actively promote inclusion, for example:
- giving consideration to speech, language and communication needs
- taking account of the lived experiences of children and families via trauma informed practice