UK safeguarding resources for schools, parents and young people

The Reality of Knife Crime & Youth Violence in the UK

Every number represents a life, a family, a community shattered.

Knife crime, county lines exploitation, Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE), Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE), and substance misuse are not isolated harms — they are deeply interconnected threats that disproportionately affect the most vulnerable children in our communities. Children Act 1989 section 17 places a general duty on local authorities to safeguard and promote the welfare of children in need. Children Act 2004 section 11 requires the specified persons and bodies it lists to make arrangements to have regard to that need when discharging their functions. Working Together to Safeguard Children 2026 mandates multi-agency collaboration through Local Safeguarding Children Partnerships. Keeping Children Safe in Education 2026 requires all school staff to recognise indicators of exploitation, serious violence, and online harm. KCSIE 2026 is the current statutory guidance from 1 September 2026. Review your policies and arrangements against the final guidance and local procedures. The Serious Violence Duty (Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022) compels schools, police, health, and local authorities to work together on prevention. County lines operations constitute child trafficking under the Modern Slavery Act 2015. Addressing these harms requires every safeguarding professional, parent, and community member to understand the warning signs — and the referral pathways that can save a child's life.