Better transition services for young people could save 3.2bn
Janaki Mahadevan
Monday, March 28, 2011
A more coordinated approach to providing transition services for vulnerable young people could save 3.2bn, a report for charity Catch22 has claimed.
The New Economics Foundation (Nef), which conducted the research for Catch22, found that by giving 16- to 18-year-olds better support, it would improve their life chances and create cost benefits for young people, young parents and the state.
Improving Services for Young People — An Economic Perspective estimates that by improving transition support, £1.3bn could be generated for young people through reductions in drug misuse, an increase in employment and overall independence. A further £490m could be created for young parents as a result of them being able to improve the care of their children. Meanwhile, £1.4bn could be generated for the state over five years by reducing the number of young people in custody, increasing the number of young people in employment and training and a decrease in demand for emergency and mental health services.
Joyce Moseley, chief executive of Catch22, said: "Young adulthood is a time when particular support is needed. We need to ensure that young people in their late teens and early 20s are clear about what help is available to them.
"Becoming a fully independent adult doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a gradual process that moves at different speeds for each young person. We need to recognise that this period of late teens and early 20s is a vital time of transition and needs to be treated as such."
In total, Nef calculates that every £1 put into improving transition support will create a £5.56 return on investment.
The report recommends that all money saved by reducing duplication in services is reinvested into more one-to-one support and that a review be undertaken into the potential of extending current provision for children and young people.
Catch22 is now calling for an overhaul of the current system and for 16-25 to be formally recognised as a life stage by central and local government.
Faiza Shaheen, lead author of the Nef report, said: "Our research shows that more personalised and coordinated services for young people aged 16 to 25 can result in life-changing outcomes for vulnerable young people which ultimately save the state money."
