Research reports

Care experience and family

Disability, Disparity and Demand: Analysis of the Numbers and Experiences of Children in Care and Care Leavers with a Disability or Long-Term Health Condition

Coram Voice · 2024

This report provides the first systematic analysis of how many children in care and care leavers in England have a disability or long-term health condition, drawing on Freedom of Information requests to all English local authorities, Bright Spots Programme survey data from over 8,000 care leavers, and workshops with care-experienced young people and professionals. It finds a stark gap between the 13% of care leavers recorded as disabled by local authorities and the 27% who self-report a disability when asked directly. Disabled care leavers report significantly lower wellbeing across a range of measures, and the report documents serious systemic failings in transitions to adult services. The authors make 19 recommendations for government, local authorities, and Coram Voice to improve data collection, policy, and practice.

Young people consultedSurveySecondary analysisEngland

Education, learning and attainment

Progression at Age 16 of Young People from Underrepresented Backgrounds Towards Careers in STEM

Centre for Education and Youth / EPI / Mission 44 · 2024

This mixed-methods report examines why young people from underrepresented backgrounds — girls, disadvantaged pupils, and certain ethnic groups — are less likely to progress to level 3 STEM qualifications after age 16 in England. Using secondary analysis of the National Pupil Database, statistical modelling, and qualitative interviews and focus groups in schools, the study finds that around one in five pupils completing secondary school between 2016/17 and 2018/19 went on to complete a level 3 STEM qualification, with girls 42% less likely and FSM-eligible pupils 44% less likely than their peers. Prior GCSE attainment is identified as a key driver of these gaps, and while individual schools play a modest role (explaining 6.6% of residual variance), they rarely implement interventions specifically targeting underrepresented groups.

Secondary analysisInterviewEngland

Mental health and wellbeing

Bullying, School Experiences and Wellbeing: A Picture of Pupil Experience in Engalnd 2024

Anti-Bullying Alliance (National Children's Bureau) · 2024

This report presents findings from the Anti-Bullying Alliance's pupil bullying and wellbeing questionnaire, delivered as part of their United Against Bullying programme in England in 2024. It finds that nearly 1 in 4 pupils reported being bullied frequently, with pupils who have SEND (29%) or are eligible for free school meals (28%) significantly more likely to experience frequent victimisation. The report also examines cyberbullying, bullying perpetration, school experience, and pupil wellbeing, all disaggregated by gender, SEND status, FSM status, and school type. Pupils who were frequently victimised reported substantially lower wellbeing and poorer school experiences than those who were never victimised.

SurveyEngland

Health and physical wellbeing

Annual Disability and Activity Survey 2023-24

Activity Alliance · 2024

This annual survey tracks disabled people's perceptions and experiences of sport and physical activity across the UK. Key findings show that disabled people remain twice as likely to be inactive as non-disabled people, with 76% wanting to be more active but facing persistent barriers including the cost of living crisis, inaccessible outdoor spaces, and a lack of tailored opportunities. Disabled people with multiple impairments, younger disabled people, and those from ethnically diverse backgrounds are disproportionately affected. The report recommends greater consultation with disabled people, subsidised activities, improved outdoor access, and more inclusive workforces in sport and physical activity.

SurveyFocus groupUK-wide

Education, learning and attainment

Life in Scotland for LGBT Young People: Education Report 2023

LGBT Youth Scotland · 2023

This report is a deep-dive into the education findings from LGBT Youth Scotland's Life in Scotland for LGBT Young People 2022 survey, drawing on responses from 1,279 LGBTI young people aged 13–25 in Scotland. It finds that just 10% of participants rated the experience of school as 'Good', over 63% had experienced homophobic or biphobic bullying in school, and fewer than half felt supported as an LGBTI person in education. The report identifies five key themes — supportive staff, inclusive spaces, LGBTI-specific information, policies and guidance, and taking action — and makes targeted recommendations to schools, colleges, universities, and the Scottish Government to improve LGBTI inclusion.

SurveyMixed methodsScotland

Health and physical wellbeing

1,000 Young Voices

StreetGames (with Platypus Research) · 2023

This report by Platypus Research on behalf of StreetGames segments young people aged 11–24 from lower-income households in Great Britain according to their attitudes, motivations, emotions and barriers relating to sport and physical activity. Seven distinct segments are identified, ranging from those held back by low confidence to enthusiastic competitors, with each profile described in detail to guide targeted interventions. Key findings include that one in three of these young people feel limited control over their lives, two in five have felt discriminated against in sporting contexts, and cost is the most commonly cited practical barrier — though psychological barriers such as anxiety and self-consciousness are especially significant for girls and neurodivergent young people. The segments are intended as a practical tool for StreetGames and partners to design more effective, targeted programmes to increase participation.

SurveyFocus groupUK-wide

Civic participation and youth voice

Young People in Scotland 2022: volunteering analysis

Volunteer Scotland · 2023

This report analyses volunteering participation among secondary school pupils in Scotland, drawing on a 2022 survey of 1,533 pupils aged 11–18. It finds a significant decline in both formal (down 12 percentage points to 37%) and informal (down 7 percentage points to 18%) volunteering since 2019, with COVID-19 and the cost of living crisis identified as likely drivers. Key findings include that older pupils (17–18) were more resilient to the decline, that gender parity in formal volunteering was reached for the first time, and that young people with long-term health conditions volunteered at higher rates than those without. The report recommends including volunteering in the school curriculum and adapting volunteer-involving organisations' practices to enable young people to volunteer with friends.

SurveySecondary analysisScotland

Health and physical wellbeing

Core Health: A Youth Voice Enquiry (CORE20PLUS5 Young People)

Peer Power Youth · 2023

This report by Peer Power Youth captures the healthcare experiences and views of 48 children and young people with lived experience of the youth justice system and secure settings in England. Key findings include significant barriers to accessing healthcare, health inequalities linked to identity (race, gender, neurodiversity), and a concept the participants named "forced resilience" — the emotional and psychological toll of being incarcerated with limited autonomy. Young people made concrete recommendations around improving healthcare access, trauma-informed staff practice, trusted relationships, and the clinical focus areas of the NHS Core20PLUS5 strategy for children and young people.

Co-producedSurveyFocus groupEngland

Civic participation and youth voice

Voices of the Future: Peer Research into Widening Access to Youth Services (Young Londoners Research Programme, 9 funded peer research groups)

Partnership for Young London · 2023

Nine groups of young Londoners aged 14–25 designed and led their own peer research projects exploring barriers to accessing youth services in their communities. Over 700 young people were consulted across surveys, interviews, focus groups, and creative workshops. Key barriers identified included safety concerns when travelling to youth spaces, poor awareness of available services, inadequate mental health support, and lack of culturally relevant provision. The report makes recommendations for funders, commissioners, and youth service providers across London to improve access for less-heard groups including care-experienced young people and those with autism or SEMH needs.

Youth-ledSurveyInterviewLondon

Health and physical wellbeing

Streetgames 1000 Young Voices Youth Insights Summary Report

StreetGames · 2023

StreetGames commissioned Platypus Research to segment young people aged 11–24 from lower-income households by their attitudes and behaviours towards sport and physical activity. The study identified seven distinct segments ranging from highly enthusiastic participants to those who are actively disengaged, revealing that cost, lack of confidence, anxiety, and self-consciousness are the most significant barriers — particularly for girls and neurodivergent young people. Key findings include that two in five young people worry about their family's finances, one in three feel they have limited control over their lives, and around two in five have experienced discrimination when taking part in sport. The report provides actionable segmentation profiles to help StreetGames design targeted interventions to increase participation among under-served young people.

SurveyFocus groupUK-wide

Mental health and wellbeing

Young people’s mental health in the workplace

Institute for Employment Studies (IES) · 2023

This report examines the mental health experiences of 2,000 young workers aged 16–25 across the four UK nations, focusing on workplace culture, disclosure practices, and support provision. It finds that nearly half of respondents had a mental health condition or challenge, yet over two-fifths did not disclose this to their employer — mainly due to discomfort or fear of consequences. Only around two-fifths felt their workplace had a supportive culture around mental health, and three in ten had left or planned to leave a job because of its impact on their mental health. Disadvantaged groups — including women, disabled young people, and those in low-paid or part-time roles — consistently reported worse experiences and less access to support.

SurveyUK-wide

Mental health and wellbeing

Deconstructing the System: Young People's Voices on Mental Health, Society and Inequality (14,215 + 13,887 young people surveyed + insight groups with minoritised groups)

YoungMinds · 2023

This YoungMinds report synthesises findings from four datasets — including surveys of over 14,000 and nearly 14,000 young people respectively — to explore how social systems, mental health services, inequality, and global crises affect young people's mental health in the UK. Key findings include that 69% of young people feel negatively impacted by the Government, 70% by the media, and over half said their place of education harms their mental health. Minoritised groups — including Black, LGBTQ+, Muslim, disabled, and refugee young people — consistently experienced greater inequality, discrimination, and barriers to mental health support. The report calls for structural reform across education, mental health services, and public institutions, with young people as active partners in shaping change.

SurveyFocus groupUK-wide

Criminal justice and youth violence

Voices Mean Choices Discovery Research Evidence Report

Barnardo's · 2023

This discovery research report examines how child sexual and criminal exploitation is identified and responded to in East Riding of Yorkshire. It finds that awareness of exploitation is low across non-specialist services, families are often not listened to when they raise concerns, and children frequently wait years before receiving specialist support. The report identifies 12 recommendations for system change, covering earlier identification, faster referral pathways, trauma-informed practice, and more child-centred language and service delivery.

Young people consultedInterviewFocus groupYorkshire & the Humber

Care experience and family

Adoption UK Adoption Barometer 2023

Adoption UK · 2023

The Adoption Barometer 2023 is the fifth annual UK-wide survey of adoption lived experience, drawing on over 16,700 unique survey responses from prospective adopters, adoptive parents, and adult adoptees. The report finds that while some areas have improved—such as increased direct birth family contact and positive outcomes from the Adoption Support Fund in England—most adoptive families still struggle to access timely, specialist support, and families with older children are twice as likely to be in crisis. Adult adoptees in particular feel abandoned by services, with very few able to access free, adoption-informed therapeutic support. The report makes wide-ranging recommendations for governments across all four UK nations to fund and reform adoption support throughout the lifespan.

Young people consultedSurveyUK-wide

Employment, skills and economic security

Speaking from experience: Getting it right for Disabled apprentices

Disability Rights UK · 2023

This report explores the experiences of young Disabled people who are doing or have completed apprenticeships in England, drawing on members of the Disabled Apprentice Network (DAN) and wider stakeholder roundtables. It finds that while apprenticeships can be transformative for Disabled young people, significant barriers remain — including poor careers advice, inaccessible information, inadequate reasonable adjustments, and employer reluctance. The report makes practical recommendations for government, employers, training providers, and schools to improve access, support, and retention of Disabled apprentices.

Young people consultedInterviewFocus groupEngland

Employment, skills and economic security

The Long Road to Change: Annual Survey 2023

Young Women's Trust · 2023

Young Women's Trust's 2023 annual survey finds that young women aged 18–30 in England and Wales are experiencing worsening financial hardship, persistent pay inequality, and rising levels of workplace discrimination compared to 2022. Half of young women reported experiencing discrimination at work, up from 42% the previous year, while 56% described their financial situation as uncomfortable. The survey also highlights compounding disadvantages for racially minoritised young women and those who are disabled, neurodivergent, or have mental health conditions. Findings are compared with a parallel survey of HR decision-makers, revealing significant gaps between employer perceptions and young women's lived experiences.

Young people consultedSurveyInterviewEnglandWales

Health and physical wellbeing

Health Report 2023

LGBT Youth Scotland · 2023

This report examines LGBTQ+ young people's experiences of health services in Scotland, drawing on qualitative responses from 1,279 participants in the Life in Scotland for LGBT Young People 2022 survey. Key findings show that young people face significant barriers to healthcare including long waiting lists (particularly for gender identity services), staff lacking understanding of LGBTQ+ identities, experiences of discrimination and misgendering, and difficulties disclosing their identity safely. The report makes concrete recommendations for NHS Boards and the Scottish Government on improving LGBTQ+ inclusivity in mental health, sexual health, and gender identity services.

SurveySecondary analysisScotland

Education, learning and attainment

Social Mobility: The Next Generation – Lost Potential at Age 16

Sutton Trust · 2023

This report examines the educational trajectories of socio-economically disadvantaged young people who were high attainers at the end of primary school, comparing their progress to equally high-attaining but more affluent peers. It finds that disadvantaged high attainers have GCSE grades on average more than three-quarters of a grade lower per subject than other high attainers, and are almost twice as likely to fall out of the top third of attainment by Key Stage 4. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated existing inequalities, with disadvantaged high attainers more likely to lack suitable devices and study spaces during lockdowns, and more likely to feel they had fallen behind. The report calls for a national strategy to close attainment gaps, extended Pupil Premium funding to post-16 learners, and improved use of contextual admissions by universities.

SurveySecondary analysisEngland

Gender and sexuality

EVAW A Whole School Approach to Ending Violence Against Women & Girls

End Violence Against Women Coalition · 2023

This mapping report by the End Violence Against Women Coalition (EVAW) examines the case for a Whole School Approach (WSA) to tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG) in England, Scotland and Wales. Drawing on a survey of young people, focus groups, policy documents, and case study models from specialist VAWG organisations, the report finds that despite widespread evidence of sexual harassment in schools, national implementation of a WSA remains elusive due to lack of political will, insufficient funding, inadequate teacher training, and poor-quality RSHE delivery. The report highlights that nearly a third of girls surveyed do not feel safe from sexual harassment in school, and that marginalised groups — including Black, LGBTQ+ and disabled young people — face compounded risks. It makes recommendations to government, local commissioners, schools and inspectors for embedding a properly resourced, gendered and intersectional WSA.

Young people consultedSurveyFocus groupUK-wide

Employment, skills and economic security

Breaking Barriers to Work: Exploring the Impact of the Benefits System on Young People Living in Supported Accommodation and Their Ability to Work

YMCA England & Wales · 2023

This report by YMCA England & Wales examines how the benefits system creates barriers to employment for young people living in YMCA supported accommodation. Key findings include that Housing Benefit tapering financially penalises residents who take up paid work, that benefit levels — especially for under-25s — are too low to cover basic essentials, and that benefit sanctions frequently push young people into food insecurity and worsen their mental health. The report makes seven policy recommendations, including introducing a Universal Credit work allowance for supported accommodation residents, an Essentials Guarantee for benefits, and relaxing the sanctions regime for this cohort.

Focus groupSurveyEnglandWales

Care experience and family

Adoption UK Adoption Barometer 2022

Adoption UK · 2022

This annual survey of over 2,500 adoptive parents and prospective adopters across the UK examines experiences of the adoption process, post-adoption support, education, and birth family contact. Key findings show that 22% of adopted 16–25-year-olds were NEET at the end of 2021—more than twice the national average—and that 71% of adoptive families face a continual struggle to access the help they need. A supplementary survey of 282 adopted adults focused specifically on experiences of maintaining or establishing birth family relationships, finding significant gaps in counselling and support at every stage. The report includes nation-by-nation assessments of policy and practice across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

SurveyMixed methodsUK-wide

Arts, culture and creativity

Looking Beyond Lockdown: Arts Organisations Supporting Young People's Wellbeing

People's Palace Projects / QMUL / Battersea Arts Centre / Contact / NTW / Theatre Royal Stratford East / Dirty Protest · 2022

This mixed-methods study examined how five UK community arts organisations (based in Manchester, London, and Wales) supported young people's mental health and wellbeing during and after COVID-19 lockdowns, including the shift to online delivery. The quantitative strand surveyed 141 young people aged 16–29 about their pandemic experiences and arts engagement, while the qualitative strand drew on semi-structured interviews with 46 young people, 28 staff, and 16 stakeholders. Key findings show that while the move to digital expanded reach and offered safety for some shy participants, it also reduced connection, deepened digital poverty, and eroded the informal bonds central to participatory arts. The report recommends improved mental health training for arts staff, hybrid delivery models, and stronger cross-sector partnerships to sustain support for young people post-pandemic.

Young people consultedSurveyInterviewEnglandWales

Employment, skills and economic security

Not Just Any Job, Good Jobs! Youth Voices from Across the UK

Institute for Employment Studies (IES) · 2021

This report presents findings from a large-scale mixed-methods study with 1,345 young people aged 16–25 across all four UK nations, exploring their views on good quality work, barriers to accessing it, and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Young people value stimulating, fulfilling work that supports their wellbeing, but many feel good quality work is a privilege beyond their reach, particularly those in lower-skilled sectors or deprived areas. The pandemic has worsened working conditions and dented young people's confidence and aspirations. The report calls for stronger employment regulation, improved careers support, greater focus on the 16–18 age group, place-based approaches, and better mental health provision.

Young people consultedSurveyInterviewUK-wide

Housing and homelessness

The LGBTQ+ Youth Homelessness Report 2021

akt · 2021

This report examines the experiences of LGBTQ+ young people aged 16–25 who have experienced homelessness in the UK. It finds that most faced abuse from family members before becoming homeless, that 92% reported a negative impact on their mental health, and that over half experienced discrimination when accessing support services. Trans, disabled, and young people of colour were disproportionately affected across almost all measures. The report makes recommendations to government, local authorities, housing services, and the LGBTQ+ sector to improve awareness, inclusion, and specialist provision.

SurveyInterviewUK-wide

Results