Family breakdown is one of the major causes of youth homelessness and is also one of the most painful. Three out of four young people we deal with cite it as the major cause of their homelessness and over half express a desire to resolve past disputes with their family.

Young people and their families can easily slip into a cycle of accusation and recrimination, which can result in a young person either running away or being ejected from their home. The unplanned and unsupported flight from the family home is traumatic and costly.

Alone in London works to prevent homelessness before it happens. The Family Mediation service helps young people avoid irretrievable family breakdown by working with the young person and their family to resolve difficult issues and to establish mutually agreed courses of action. As part of our prevention work, we have also developed the Schools Project. Working in partnership with schools we have created a program to raise awareness amongst young people about family issues and youth homelessness.

The service also seeks to find solutions for those young people who are already homeless, or in care, but want to try and re-establish positive contact with their families.

Alone in London wants to share its knowledge and expertise of family mediation and has set up the Supportive Relations Project to provide advice and training in setting up family mediation projects.