A recent leadership change at the Association of Directors of Children's Services (ADCS) has brought renewed attention to a critical issue within children’s services: the need to better support adolescents. 

The incoming president has called for a stronger focus on teenagers, highlighting a long-standing imbalance in how services are designed and delivered. While early intervention remains a key priority, there is growing recognition that older children face distinct and increasingly complex challenges that require targeted support. 

A gap in focus 

Historically, children’s services have placed significant emphasis on early years intervention, with the aim of preventing issues before they escalate. However, adolescence is a period where risks often intensify rather than diminish. 

Teenagers are more likely to encounter: 

• exploitation and criminal involvement 
• mental health challenges 
• increased interaction with law enforcement 

Despite this, adolescents are frequently perceived differently from younger children sometimes viewed as more responsible for their circumstances, and therefore less in need of safeguarding. This shift in perception can result in reduced support at a time when it may be most needed. 

Information sharing and safeguarding concerns 

One issue that has emerged in discussions linked to this topic is the handling of information following police interactions, such as stop and search. 

It is not widely recognised that when a child is stopped and searched, this information is not always routinely shared with safeguarding services. This raises important concerns about how effectively agencies are able to identify and respond to risk. 

Without consistent information sharing: 

• warning signs may be missed 
• patterns of vulnerability may go unnoticed 
• opportunities for early intervention may be lost 

Effective safeguarding relies on coordinated, multi-agency working. Where communication gaps exist, the system’s ability to protect vulnerable young people is significantly weakened. 

The need for systemic change 

The ADCS president’s call to prioritise adolescents reflects a broader need for change across the sector. Addressing this issue requires more than incremental adjustments it calls for a shift in both practice and perspective. 

Key areas for development include: 

• ensuring adolescents are consistently treated as children first, regardless of circumstances 
• improving data sharing and collaboration between agencies, particularly with policing 
• designing services specifically around the needs of teenagers, rather than adapting early years models 
• addressing disparities in how young people are treated across different systems 

Leadership and direction 

The transition in ADCS leadership represents both continuity and opportunity. With increasing demand on children’s services, there is a clear need to ensure that support extends across the full span of childhood including adolescence. 

Prioritising teenagers is not about reducing focus elsewhere, but about creating a more balanced and effective system overall. 

Conclusion 

The renewed focus on adolescents highlights an important shift in the conversation around children’s services. 

As risks facing young people continue to evolve, so too must the systems designed to protect them. Strengthening support for adolescents alongside improving communication between agencies will be essential in ensuring that no group is overlooked. 

Ultimately, recognising teenagers as children in need of safeguarding, rather than problems to be managed, is central to achieving better outcomes across the sector.