Supporting young people well: six principles

Behaviour can tell us that a young person needs something.

They may need support, space, safety, understanding or a different approach.

Before reacting, pause and ask: what might this behaviour be telling me?

Young people deserve to be understood, not judged by one moment.

Why this matters

Our research, validated by national data, shows that Black and mixed-heritage children's behaviour can often be read wrong, leading to disciplinary action.

Government school exclusion figures show Black Caribbean children excluded at around twice the rate of their white classmates.

Adultification is when Black children are seen as older, stronger or less in need of care than other children their age. This can affect how adults respond to their behaviour, feelings and needs.

Ask yourself: am I seeing this young person as they are, or am I making an assumption about them?

When we spoke to educators, they mentioned adults who work well with Black children describe resisting this as everyday practice.

Adults may offer support and flexibility only after a young person receives a diagnosis or label. This can mean that Black children are seen through assumptions instead of being seen as they are. For example, a quiet child may be missed and an energetic child may be described as disruptive.

Every young person is different.

Stay open to learning about what matters to them, what helps them and how they want to be supported.

You do not need to have all the answers; listening with care is often the best place to start.

Curiosity is huge. Your degrees don't mean you know everything.

Frontline worker, our research

A young person who stays behind after an activity may be waiting to talk.

When young people feel ignored or unheard over time, their feelings can build up.

Art, music and writing give young people ways to express themselves beyond talking.

This helps them build relationships and cope when things get hard.

Strong relationships grow over time.

Young people need adults who are reliable, patient and willing to keep showing up.

Small, consistent actions can make a real difference: checking in, listening and remembering what matters to a young person.

A finding repeated across our research and the wider data: relationships, opening up and building trust all take time.

Time is what schools and services often struggle to give, for reasons outside their control.

Young people may trust different people with different things. A parent, teacher, youth worker, sibling, friend or another trusted adult can each play an important part.

This does not mean family relationships are weak, it means a young person has a wider circle of support.

Obviously I would trust my mum and my dad. But it depends on the thing. If it's something really serious, I think I could trust them. If it's not serious but could get me in trouble, I wouldn't really... I'd trust my sister with anything, really.

Young person, from one of our focus groups

I thought we've got quite a wide net, so I thought she would have mentioned a few of them... So yeah, it's interesting that she didn't mention them.

Parent, our family focus group

We asked both parents and children: who do the children trust? Parents guessed family and wider community. The children said they decide who to trust topic by topic, based on what each adult can do to them, for them or about them. This is not a negative thing; these were attentive, loving parents. The learning is that a child having other adults they trust is the wider community doing its job, not your bond failing.

Chapter 5 talks about what to do with this; Chapter 6 includes a family activity for discovering the real map together.

Young people often do well in places where they feel welcomed, known and able to be themselves.

Small things can help: a warm greeting, a familiar adult, time to move, and activities they enjoy.

My teachers are very strong on relationships... I always give my teachers a hug and they smile at me and they say hello, which is very warm and contributes to me having a better day.

Young person, from one of our focus groups

I don't like just sitting in a classroom for like an hour... to be able to move around and be able to, like, breathe.

Young person, from one of our focus groups

At my school, on Tuesdays we get to play football and I think it's good because I get to play with my friends... it makes me happy.

Young person, from one of our focus groups

Warm greetings, trusted relationships and opportunities to move can help young people feel settled, connected and ready to learn.