New investment announced in youth violence and knife crime prevention

New youth justice measures are being introduced aimed at strengthening early intervention and reducing serious youth violence, including additional support for children found carrying knives.

Under the proposals, children and young people identified as carrying a weapon would receive an individual support plan designed to address underlying risks and prevent further offending. The approach reflects a continued shift toward prevention-focused responses, combining accountability with targeted support, safeguarding and multi-agency involvement.

The package also includes longer-term investment in violence prevention programmes and updates to national youth justice arrangements intended to strengthen oversight, performance and partnership working across local areas.

Among the programmes receiving continued backing is the Turnaround initiative, which works with children at risk of entering the justice system by providing early intervention, mentoring and practical support. Similar prevention-led approaches have been linked in some areas to reductions in youth offending and serious violence.

What this means for practice

The latest youth justice measures reinforce the continued national shift toward earlier identification of adolescent risk and targeted prevention work. For local services, this is likely to increase expectations around multi-agency responses for children showing early indicators of involvement in violence, exploitation or weapon carrying.

Early Help teams, youth practitioners, schools and safeguarding partners may see greater emphasis on individual intervention planning, contextual safeguarding approaches, and coordinated support involving families, education, community safety and youth justice services. Workforce development priorities are also likely to continue focusing on adolescent risk assessment, trauma-informed practice, and effective engagement with vulnerable teenagers.