Letters: Losing our Milton Keynes teens, where are parents meant to go?

To the Editor,

I am writing as a lone parent of a teenager, because I honestly do not know where parents are supposed to turn when they can clearly see their child beginning to go off the rails. And especially difficult when their peers parents seem much more laid back about the smoking, lack of boundaries and or being out without knowing who or where the child is.

Not criminal. Not dangerous. Not yet.

But withdrawing. Influenced by the wrong people. Losing motivation. Making poor choices. Drifting away from themselves.

There seems to be a huge gap between “everything is fine” and “serious intervention.” And in that gap, families are left struggling alone.

I have contacted safeguarding. I have emailed. I have called. I have contacted school. Yet the overwhelming feeling is that unless a child has already reached crisis point, there is very little support available to help pull them back before things escalate.

Where are parents meant to go?

Where is the mentorship for teenagers who are clearly vulnerable to negative influence but do not meet thresholds for specialist intervention?

Not every teenager needs punishment. Some need guidance. Some need purpose. Some need another trusted adult to help redirect them before life starts making decisions for them.

I know I cannot be the only parent feeling this way.

As a lone parent especially, the weight can feel enormous. You are trying to work, hold the home together, protect your child, and somehow also become counsellor, mentor, disciplinarian, emotional support and youth worker all at once.

I am not writing this to criticise one school or one department. I genuinely believe many professionals are overwhelmed and under-resourced themselves. But that does not change the reality that there are parents desperately trying to intervene early and finding very few places to turn.

Surely prevention matters more than waiting until things fall apart.

I would love to hear from other parents in Milton Keynes. What helped your teenager when they lost direction? Were there any local groups, mentors, sports clubs, youth organisations or individuals that genuinely made a difference?

Because right now, it feels like families are being told to wait until things become serious enough to qualify for help. And by then, the damage can already be done.

Yours sincerely,

A concerned parent in Milton Keynes