Charity urges government to do ‘what works’ to prevent another decade of youth violence

The Youth Endowment Fund (YEF) has released a new report highlighting the challenges ahead for the new government in its pledge to tackle knife crime.

The Beyond the Headlines report reviews data and information available revealing how serious violence has affected children and young people over the last decade. YEF then calls on the new government to follow the evidence and do what works to combat violence over the next decade. Mentoring, cognitive behavioural therapies, social skills training and youth workers in A&E departments have all been demonstrated to be effective at reducing crime.

Jon Yates, Executive Director at the Youth Endowment Fund, said: “The figures in our new report provide a sobering reminder that more effective support is needed to stop children being harmed by violence and having their lives tragically cut short by it.

If we want to cut knife crime and ensure that the next decade is safer for our children than the last, we need to focus our efforts and resources on the strategies that we know work. With the right support and opportunities, we can make our communities safer and help all children live a life free from violence.”

Read the full report here.