Youth Access is uniquely placed to respond to many of the issues young people face on their journey to adulthood, both through our national role and the support we provide to our membership of local providers.

Young people negotiating the path from dependent child to independent adult have a range of social, legal, practical, emotional and mental health needs. The complexity and severity of any difficulties they encounter and their capacity to cope will depend on each young person’s unique experience of their family and carers, the communities in which they grow up and their own biology/genetic histories.

Information, advice, counselling and support services make a significant contribution to meeting the varying needs of young people. Youth Access has developed a national reputation for its leadership and support of these services. We have developed particular expertise on rights-based advice and the contribution of counselling to young people’s mental and emotional health. We focus much of our activity in three key areas of inter-related areas: improving policy, supporting practice and engaging partners.