Every child caught with a knife to get 'tailored' support as Labour seeks to halve knife crime in a decade
Children who are caught carrying knives in England and Wales will be given "mandatory specialised plans" to stop them reoffending, the Deputy Prime Minister has announced.
The action, led jointly by the Ministry of Justice and the Home Office, comes as part of the Labour Government’s commitment to halve knife crime in a decade.
Police will refer every child knife possession case to youth justice services - locally-led teams spanning health, education and community services tasked with mandating targeted action to help each child.
A Government spokesperson said the specialised plans will seek to address the root causes of a child’s offending, including potential exploitation by criminal gangs and childhood trauma.
Children could be forced to attend mentoring to stay in education or social skills training to boost employability. If children "do not engage with their plan" or are judged to still be a risk to the public after intervention, police will be informed and "further action" will be taken, including criminal proceedings.
Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy said: “Every life lost to knife crime is an unmitigated tragedy. With early targeted action, we can put children on the right path to a positive future and stop them falling into a toxic cycle of reoffending.
“Our reforms will give local services the security they need to help more young people and make our streets safer for everyone.”
The plans announced today will be supported with a three-year wider funding package for youth justice services, worth more than £320 million.
The Government has also confirmed that its Turnaround early intervention programme will have guaranteed multi-year funding, including more than £15 million this year.
The Government will also invest a further £5 million into regional partnerships to "speed up" community alternatives to custody. Currently, around 40 per cent of children in custody are on remand, with more than 60 per cent later not receiving a custodial sentence – unnecessarily impacting their lives and futures.
Policing Minister Sarah Jones said: “Carrying a knife will now trigger an immediate, mandatory intervention — no excuses.
“This guidance makes sure every child is referred straight to a youth justice services team and is given the support needed to change course.
“As Policing Minister, I am working with forces across England and Wales to ensure officers have the full backing of the Home Office to crack down on knife possession, act quickly when knives are found, and prevent violence before it happens.
“We’re acting fast to stop violence before it starts and keep our streets safe.”
Patrick Green, CEO of The Ben Kinsella Trust, said: “It is vital that responses to serious youth violence are adequately resourced and recognise the realities that many vulnerable children and young people face. We welcome the focus on earlier, coordinated support for children and young people found carrying knives, and the commitment to timely, tailored interventions that prioritise safeguarding and rehabilitation over further criminalisation.
“Too often, children and young people are drawn into serious violence by entrenched vulnerabilities and systemic pressures such as fear, trauma, and criminal exploitation. A sustained focus on early intervention and prevention is essential and represents an important step towards tackling the root causes of knife crime."
