Published: Thursday 17 March 2022
New plans to support young people affected by violence have been introduced in Kensington and Chelsea.
A new youth violence strategy sets out plans for new training, early intervention, improved intelligence mapping and a community board to help young people escape violence.
More than 40 per cent of knife crime victims in the borough are under the age of 25. In the last five years, Kensington and Chelsea has had a 37 per cent reduction in knife crime with injury offences. However, a survey of 120 young people, completed by the borough’s Youth Council in October 2021, found that when asking about feelings of safety, 49 per cent of respondents said that knife crime made them feel unsafe in their local area and 22 per cent fearful of mugging or physical attack.
Cllr Emma Will, Kensington and Chelsea Council’s Lead Member for Community Safety said:
“Youth violence and exploitation has no place in our borough.
“We employ specialist workers with lived experience to help young people escape gang violence and we support young victims to navigate the justice system with our police partners but there is much more to do.
“Our Youth Violence Strategy will improve intelligence sharing and introduce interventions in schools so we can continue to stop violence before it starts.”
Cllr Josh Rendall, Lead Member for Children’s Services, said:
“Since 2020, 2,300 young people have been offered alternatives to gang crime and youth violence, through workshops and projects in schools, youth centres and on our streets. More than 200 young people have had specialist safety planning since 2020.
“Our Youth Violence Strategy will go even further to make sure young people and their families are supported should they experience violence, from providing specialist trauma services with our key partners to helping everyone recognise the signs of exploitation.”
The Youth Violence Strategy includes:
• New youth violence and exploitation residents’ group with parents and young people to have a say and be involved in the response
• Strategic youth violence and exploitation board for senior oversight and scrutiny of specialist services, with community representation
• Community campaign, co-designed with young people, to help others recognise signs of abuse and exploitation
• Trauma informed specialist services for those who have committed youth violence and exploitation offences
• Restorative interventions in school to limit re-offending and reduce escalation of violence
• Intelligence mapping to understand location and demographic risk in the community and information sharing between police, local authority and NHS
If you’re concerned about the safety of a young person, please report to the police, the Council or you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.