Young women and girls needage-appropriate, gender-responsive support to overcome adversity and build positive futures
Young women and girls are disproportionately affected by involvement in the criminal justice system and often have support needs that differ from those of both adult women and young men. Many have experienced trauma, abuse, exploitation, family adversity, placement instability, poor mental health, or unmet emotional needs. These experiences can affect their wellbeing, relationships, education, employment opportunities, and engagement with support services.
They may also face challenges relating to consent, healthy relationships, personal boundaries, self-esteem, emotional regulation, and assertiveness. As a result, some young women can find it more difficult to access, engage with, and trust traditional support services.
Specialist services for young women provide age-appropriate, gender-responsive support that addresses the factors contributing to their involvement in the justice system and helps them build positive futures. Through early intervention and tailored support, these services can reduce the risk of further offending and improve long-term outcomes.
Services for young women may offer:
- Therapeutic and emotional wellbeing support
- Healthy relationships and boundaries work
- Life skills development
- Support into education, training and employment
- Peer support and social activities
- Confidence-building and personal development programmes
- Advocacy and practical support
By addressing the root causes of offending and vulnerability, specialist services for young women and girls help to reduce the risk of future criminal justice involvement and break cycles of trauma, disadvantage, and intergenerational harm.
SelectedSupport services for young women and girls
We have curated the following shortlist of women’s organisations, women’s centres and specialist women’s organisations that can offer support, advice and signposting for young women and girls in the UK. You can also search for support services near you by using our search facility
Blossom (Young Women and Girls)
Blossom supports girls and young women aged 13-26 years who experience stigma, poor mental health and have multiple unmet needs and/or disadvantages to build resilience, prevent abuse, harm and exploitation.
Star Centre for Young Women & Girls
Provides a friendly and welcoming space where young people up to the age of 18 can access therapeutic support, information and advice on mental health issues, as well as group support and a variety of therapies.
Young Women’s Service
A service for young women aged 18-24 who are caught up in the criminal justice system, aware of the root causes of their offending and empowered to address their trauma and make informed decisions, have increased confidence and life skills to reduce their risk of re-offending and break the cycle of intergenerational crime.