Small, local, bespoke support for young people with complicated lives as they move into adulthood.
Brighter Futures is a focused offer from the NDTi Small Supports programme. We work alongside local authorities, Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) and partners to develop personalised, local support for young people with complex needs as they approach adulthood.
Our aim is simple, to help young people move into adulthood with the right home, the right support and the right relationships already in place.
The challenge
Many local areas are seeing increasing numbers of young people with complex needs approaching adulthood. At the same time, they face:
- Limited local support options.
- Reliance on high-cost placements, often out of area.
- Poor outcomes for young people.
- Growing pressure on children’s and adult services budgets.
The Brighter Futures approach
Brighter Futures helps local authorities move from crisis response to proactive planning.
Working with commissioners, social care, health, education and housing partners, we support the development of small, local and bespoke support arrangements that put young people at the centre.
Four principles for Brighter Futures
Brighter Futures helps young people move into adulthood with the right home, the right support and the right relationships already in place.
By planning early and working alongside families and local partners, we help create better outcomes for young people and stronger, more sustainable local services.
Home
Young people are supported to:
- Stay close to family, friends and community.
- Move into homes designed around their needs and aspirations.
- Build stability through housing and support that is planned early.
Choice
We help create tailored transition support that gives young people and families greater choice and control over their future.
Community
Brighter Futures helps local areas:
- Build sustainable local provision.
- Strengthen local support networks.
- Reduce reliance on expensive placements, emergency responses and multiple agency interventions.
Value
The approach delivers:
- Better outcomes for young people.
- Better value for public funds.
- Reduced pressures across children’s and adult services.
What we offer
- 26 days of direct specialist support.
- Training, mentoring and expert advice.
- Support for commissioning, social work and transition teams.
- Housing and support planning expertise.
- Evidence, tools, examples and case studies.
- Access to a national network of Small Supports providers and local authorities.
Building on proven success
Brighter Futures builds on the established Small Supports model.
A 2024 evaluation in Plymouth found that small, local, bespoke support provided benefits to individuals, families, local services and health and care budgets:
10 people
People in Plymouth supported through Small Supports
£1.5 million
Value to local services generated
£28,000
Reduction in support costs
per person
Brighter Futures applies the same principles to one of the most important stages in a young person’s life, the transition into adulthood.
Interested in Brighter Futures?
We are working with local authorities and partners to develop new local support options for young people with complex needs and are looking for further areas to join the programme.
More about Brighter Futures
Insights
Insights from a national roundtable discussion (July 2026) on supporting young people with complex needs to thrive in adulthood.
Individual Planning
Practical support for individual young people with complex needs to plan for independent, fulfilling lives in their communities.
Small Supports
Working with local systems to develop small, bespoke, person-led support organisations that enable people with complicated lives to thrive.
Individual resources
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Individual planning for Brighter Futures
Creating Brighter Futures
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