HOMELESSNESS: Connexions and Foyer team up for homeless initiative

The scheme, dubbed Safe Moves, will identify those at risk of homelessness, and then offer assistance to help individuals stay at home or move into one of the federation's 120 UK-based hostels, which provide accommodation and support.

Safe Moves will involve local social services teams, youth offending teams and voluntary sector agencies. It is designed to complement statutory responsibilities to house vulnerable 16 and 17-year-olds.

Young people identified as being at risk will be given peer mentoring alongside family mediation and training in life skills.

Funding of 266,000 for the initial pilot phase of the scheme is being provided by the Freemasons' Grand Charity fund and Government departments including the Department for Education and Skills and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, until 2004.

The pilot will aim to work with 150 young people during the next year from local authorities within North Yorkshire, Suffolk, Wolverhampton and Birmingham. During this time, the scheme will be evaluated by the University of York, which will present its findings in May.

Carolyn Hayman, chief executive of the Foyer Federation, said: "We welcome the fact that councils now have to recognise their responsibilities to this group. But we don't believe there will ever be enough appropriately supported accommodation to meet all their needs."