…advocating for Safeguarding on Rail to become compulsory industrywide and providing the transport industry with training and consultation
HOW WE WORK WITH YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE UK
We offer children and young people who are at risk or in crisis with emotional and practical support in their local community.
This can include visiting them at home, in school or in a local safe space.
A youth practitioner will arrange an initial welfare visit and can continue to work with a young person for weeks or months depending on their needs. Our team use a person-centred approach, meaning we allow young people to guide us on what they want support with.
All our work with young people is confidential. However, if we have concerns that they or someone else may be at risk of serious harm, we will share this information with their parent or carer or a relevant professional.
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Our staff
Our team brings extensive expertise across child exploitation, youth justice, mental health, children in care, safeguarding, and family support. By working alongside young people and the wider systems around them, we help reduce risk, increase resilience, and support safer, more positive outcomes.
Our youth practitioners come from a range of backgrounds from both the voluntary and statutory sectors and are all highly experienced in youth practice. Their specialist experience includes child exploitation, youth justice, mental health, children in care and family support.
“I’ve noticed a big change. My son was really going in the wrong direction but is back on track.
"The work Railway Children has been doing has really boosted his confidence. You’re the best support my son could have had.”
— Parent
Working alongside families
Effective, wide-reaching support depends on strong partnerships with parents, carers and wider family networks.
That’s why we work collaboratively with families to understand a young person’s needs, strengthen relationships and create sustainable support around them.
This may include practical guidance, signposting to specialist services or regular communication around their child’s care.
While we always respect a young person’s confidentiality, we recognise the vital role that families and carers play in long-term positive outcomes.
Working with other professionals
We are the only charity with a formal Memorandum of Understanding with the British Transport Police to identify and support vulnerable young people on the transport network.
The young people we support often face complex, overlapping challenges. By working closely with schools and alternative provisions, police, social care, health services and other statutory partners, we help ensure no young person falls through the gaps.
Our role may include:
- sharing safeguarding information
- contributing to assessments and planning
- attending multi-agency meetings
- advocating for a young person’s needs
- coordinating support across services
Our flexible, youth-led approach complements statutory provision, allowing us to engage young people at their own pace and build trust over time.
“Railway Children has been a lifeline for our young person, providing a truly personalised programme of support during a vulnerable time. Their consistent, positive communication with school and home ensures all professionals are well informed. They have nurtured his passions and created new opportunities.”
Measuring progress
Throughout our support, we review outcomes and track progress with a young person every three months, including at the beginning and end of each young person’s journey with us.
Using the MyStar outcomes framework, we work with young people to assess progress across eight key areas of their lives, identifying priorities together and measuring change over time.
Alongside this, we regularly gather feedback from young people, parents, carers and professionals to ensure our support remains effective, responsive and impactful.
“My mental health is in a much better place since I started working with Railway Children. I am more confident and happy about myself. I am also more confident in using public transport.”
Safe, accountable and trusted
Our robust safeguarding, consent and information-sharing procedures ensure young people are protected, informed and empowered throughout the time we’re supporting them.
All our work meets quality assurance standards, and we are committed to continuous staff development and clear governance across our services.
Beyond direct support for young people, we strengthen safeguarding across the UK transport network through…
…establishing Safeguarding Action Groups (SAGs) that bring key people together to identify and protect vulnerable children on transport networks
…engaging with the public to raise awareness of vulnerability on the transport network in locations across the UK
Got a question?
Get in touch at: sr@railwaychildren.org.uk
