All in the Same Boat? Episode 4 – Family estrangement and young people

Many families find themselves in situations where a member has cut ties. Research by the charity Stand Alone, shows that 1 in 5 families in the UK will be affected by estrangement – so this is a real issue affecting our society. Estrangement, however, is not an issue that is widely understood.  Many young people who find themselves in these circumstances are overlooked, but they are often also very vulnerable having  left chaotic, disrupted home lives. Many have suffered abuse.

There are no officially recorded statistics on the number of estranged young people in the UK.  But judging by the number of applications Buttle UK receive, there are many thousands across the country who are living with no financial or emotional support from parents or carers. The COVID-19 crisis has hit this group of young people particularly hard, as even before lockdowns and restrictions came into place, they were under supported and highly isolated.

Strictly Come Dancing star Anton du Beke joins Becca Bland, CEO of charity Stand Alone, and Joe Howes of Buttle UK, to learn more about the issue of estrangement and what it means to be a young person living without the support of family at such an important time in their lives.

Listen to the episode on Spotify.
Listen to the episode on Apple Music.