We bring potential to life

Most of us can count on our families for love, support and guidance when we need it most. But young people in care have to grow up without this safety net. Often at age 18, the limited support they do receive drops substantially at a really critical time. This lack of support can leave them feeling abandoned and vulnerable and facing a future of further disadvantage.

We're here to fill that gap and to support young people in care and those leaving care on their journey into adulthood. We help them move towards practical, financial, social and emotional independence and a happier and more fulfilling future.

A unique holistic approach

Our vision is to create a blueprint for best practice, setting a standard for supporting young people who are in and leaving care.

Our approach is based on research that shows that developing social and emotional capabilities is key to transforming the way young people deal with challenges in life and can transform the way they see their future.

It's why we place mental health and wellbeing at the heart of everything we do and it's why therapeutic support is built into every aspect of our organisation.

Our diverse, highly experienced team are trained in dealing with young people with developmental trauma and poor mental health who have had multiple placement breakdowns.

Taking a strengths-based approach that prioritises young peoples' skills, abilities and interests we work closely with young people to build the kind of warm and nurturing relationships that provide a stable base for long-term behaviour change.

Research shows that just as episodes of trauma can shift the direction of life, positive experiences can have a transformational impact on young people.

We don't have a one size fits all approach, we create bespoke support programmes tailored to the needs of our young people drawing from our three key services:

one to one support for care leavers

1-to-1 coaching, support and advocacy

Our Practitioners are kind, compassionate, and authentic – giving love and encouraging enjoyment wherever they can. They are also skilled in providing support with everyday tasks which might include getting to school or college on time, supporting the completion of homework/coursework, exploring positive and negative relationships, and problem solving – helping young people develop important life and independent-living skills.

We also encourage young people to broaden their horizons through taking part in sports, cultural and arts activities. This gives them the confidence to try new things and develops hobbies and interests whilst building positive relationships with staff and peers.

Therapy

We believe that the integration of therapy with 1:1 practical support, delivered in a modern, warm and welcoming living environment, significantly improves mental well-being and the possibilities of meaningful, positive life change.

Our arts-based therapies, including music therapy and dramatherapy, have been proven to bring significant improvements in self-esteem, communication skills and social interaction.

Click here to read about our interactive dramatherapy exhibition funded by the national Lottery

young adult support charity in Lambeth and London

Our holistic approach allows young people with developmental trauma to express their thoughts and feelings in a safe space, enabling them to develop an emotional language, make sense of their experiences, and begin to believe in the possibility of a brighter future.

We found that for many young people attending external appointments can create additional anxiety, so we offer our therapies at our Children's Home, the young person's home or preferred public space.

As part of our therapeutic approach we also give young people a platform to have their voices heard and to tell their stories.

Our Portraits of the Mind project with professional artist Doma Dovgialo helps young people express their emotions in a creative way.

Click here to read about her previous work.

A safe place to live

For young people in the care of a local authority, a safe place to live provides a much-needed sense of security that's fundamental to their growth and development. Our accommodation is aspirational with high quality fixtures and fittings. High quality aspirational accommodation makes our young people feel valued and means they are more likely to take pride in their living space and maintain it to a higher standard.

We offer both an all-female Children's Home for up to six young people aged 13-17 years old and a range of semi-independent/training flats in the community.

Yvonne House, Our Children's Home

Yvonne House is our all-female children's home located in the Larkhall Ward of Lambeth, Zone 2, with good Tube and Overground transport links. Constructed in 2016 in consultation with care-leavers and designed around young people's needs, it comfortably accommodates a maximum of six young people aged 13-17 years.

Our home is a warm, welcoming, creative, extended-family environment. Care is taken to ensure it represents security, comfort, and warmth always. It is bright, has natural light, and is welcoming with graffiti art, warm colours, furnishings, and accessories. The interior has been carefully planned to create a homely ambience that encourages feelings of warmth, stability, and security - all to increase the therapeutic potential.

The young people's participation in thinking about all aspects of living together, including the decoration and furnishings, policies and procedures, and group activities, are a significant part of group work and shape the services provided.

Facitilites include six bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, a large lounge and activities room, therapy and meeting spaces, an education suite, music room, commercial kitchen, laundry room, front and rear gardens, dedicated optic fibre 400Mbs speed, aircon, fire detection system, and external CCTV.

We want our young women residents to feel confident, equipped and hopeful for the future. So Yvonne House aims to be more than just a safe and comfortable home, but somewhere that broadens horizons, allows young people to grown and develop and empowers them to achieve their potential.

Our Community Project: Semi-Independent Living

Our Community Project offers self-contained studios and 1 and 2-bedroom flats designed for the sole use of the young person/young person and child placed there. The young people accommodated and supported in these placements include young women who have graduated from Yvonne House, young mums and their infants, and young men. Ages of the young people range from 17 to 22 years old.

Located in the London boroughs of Lambeth, Southwark, and Lewisham all flats are of high quality, well-maintained and provide our young people with a supported, but very real, training flat experience. Living next door to working professionals, they're given an opportunity to understand the realities and challenges of living independently, whilst being supported to keep themselves and their home safe. This helps equip them with the life skills they need to increase their ability to secure – and keep – permanent housing.

Young Futures Social Care

info@youngfutures.org.uk 127 Lambeth Walk, London. SE11 6EE

For placement enquires and/or to request a Statement of Purpose please call: Osman Jama on 07811 155838

Business/Admin Monday to Friday 9am-5pm Tel: 07811 155 838

Community out-of-hours on-call Monday to Friday 5pm to 9am, weekends and Bank Holidays Tel: 07435 964 589

Yvonne House duty 24/7 Tel: 07896 102 842