What Young People Want in 2026: Themes Shaping Their Needs
As 2025 wraps up, many care providers have shared what they’ve learned from the young people they support this year. These insights are shaping how services approach their work in 2026 and ensure young people’s voices are really heard.
Mind of My Own creates digital tools that empower children to share their thoughts and experiences. These tools not only help practitioners understand what young people are going through, but also support early intervention and safeguarding in real time.
The feedback collected through these apps gives organizations a clearer picture of the trends and issues that matter most to the young people they work with. It provides a safe, private space for young people to express their feelings, wishes, and concerns, which is then shared directly with the trusted adults involved in their care. This way, decisions and planning can be more informed and better aligned with what the young people actually need.
Looking at these points, some key themes really stood out across services.
A Need for More Consistency and Stability
Young people really want to feel supported in simple, everyday ways. Practitioners shared that kids want adults to check in with them regularly without making it a big deal, give them space to have their own thoughts and opinions, explain changes clearly (especially when routines shift), and take the time to build trust rather than rushing it. Feeling listened to and treated fairly matters even more during busy times of the year.
As we head into 2026, this reinforces how important it is to honour reliability wherever possible and communicate openly when change is unavoidable.
Control over their own story
One thing that’s pretty clear is that young people want a bigger voice in the decisions that affect their lives- and rightly so!
From choices about education to contact arrangements and daily routines, professionals reported that being asked, consulted and included helps young people feel respected and in control. Our tools provide a platform for them to share their views in their own way, supporting participation in day-to-day practice, not just on paper.
Tailored Support for Individual Needs
Organisations also highlighted the importance of support that recognises individual needs. Young people respond best and feel heard when communication and support feels personalised rather than one size fits all. Personal support isn’t a bonus- its what builds trust!
This includes help that fits their communication style, space to talk about feelings without pressure, understanding around sensory needs and mental health and adults who take time to get to know what works for them. This all comes back to the trauma-informed, child-centred values that guide everything we do at Mind of My Own.
Opportunities to Build Skills, Confidence and Independence
Young people regularly express ambitions around growth, like developing life skills, preparing for adulthood, managing emotions with greater confidence, improving relationships and exploring new activities or experiences. These aspirations show just how important it is to offer support that encourages progress, celebrates strengths and helps young people feel capable.
Feeling Safe, Connected and Supported Over Holidays and Transitions
Times like Christmas and the school holidays can bring a mixture of excitement and anxiety, and young people often seek reassurance, connection and the feeling of being listened to when routines change. It really makes a difference when support doesn’t just drop off during transitions, and digital tools can help keep that sense of connection going when in-person time is limited.
Looking Ahead to 2026
The work of Mind Of My Own supports organisations in delivering youth-led involvement through technology that is secure, accessible and designed with children and young people in mind. Our tools help practitioners save time, provide timely information and create a practice that is shaped by real insight.
These insights give us a hopeful picture of what young people are looking for in the year ahead- things like stability, feeling included, being understood, having room to grow, and staying connected. We focus on giving services the tools they need to create spaces where every young person feels safe and confident to express themselves, in their own time and in a way that works for them.
A huge thank you to the teams in social care, education, youth services, and health who champion meaningful participation all year round.
Together, we can help create better outcomes for young people as we move into the new year.
If you’re interested in helping shape the future of child-centred support in 2026…