Purpose - This paper aims to contribute to growing efforts to "contextualise" young people's experiences of sexual and intimate relationships in research and sex and relationships education (SRE). The study reports on which explored factors young people identified as influencing their relationships - in the past, present and future. Design/methodology/approach - An exploratory, qualitative investigation was conducted using focus groups and in-depth interviews to elicit young people's attitudes to, and experiences of, intimate relationships. A diverse group of young men and women (N=52) were purposively sampled from a range of agencies, including supported accommodation units, a young offenders' institution and two boarding schools. Findings - Peer groups, a need for protection and companionship, and previous negative relationships variously influenced young people's experiences in early youth. Access to potential partners, other priorities, and the degree to which young people could offer a critical assessment of a relationship played a role in explaining current relationship attitudes and experiences. Future aspirations for sexual and intimate relationships were largely influenced by young people's broader plans for their education and transition into adulthood. Practical implications - Age-appropriate and personally relevant forms of SRE need to be developed which focus on the various factors influencing relationships at different points in time for groups of young people. Originality/value - Contextualising young people's sexual and intimate relationships in terms of the specific factors influencing attitudes, experiences in the past and present, together with future aspirations can usefully inform the development of SRE programmes.