Agenda item

To receive an overview of activity occurring across Westminster City Council and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea to tackle serious youth violence.

5.1           Sarah Newman (Director of Family Services) and Sarah Crouch

(Interim Bi-Borough Director Deputy Director of Public Health) provided the Board with an overview of activity occurring across Westminster and Kensington and Chelsea to tackle serious youth violence (SYV). It was explained that SYV was a term used to capture significant violent crime committed by youths up to the age of 25. It was recognised that the factors leading to youth violence were multi-faceted and had the potential to lead to a range of mental health problems and disorders.

5.2      The Board was concerned to note that knife crime had increased by 52% in Westminster and 24% in Kensington and Chelsea in the last year. Despite this the actual number of incidences involving violence and knife crime committed by under 18 youth offenders had decreased over the last three years. The risk factors relating to the likelihood of a person becoming a victim or perpetrator of violence were detailed. In response it was highlighted how a public health approach to SYV was being undertaken which looked at the root causes and the wider and contextual influences of health and crime. It was recognised that prevention and early intervention were key as well as working with a wide range of partners as part of a long-term, integrated multi-agency approach rather than taking a procedural justice response which dealt with the consequences. The three main issues which the Board was asked to consider related to:

i)       Leadership – ensuring there was a clear, defined and whole system action plan and accountability;

ii)     Data – to define and monitor the magnitude, characteristics and drivers of youth violence in Westminster and RBKC and a commitment to data sharing where relevant; and

iii)    Support Services and Prevention – to look strategically at mental health provision across the system and ensure it met needs in this context.

5.3           The Board held a detailed discussion over the issues of youth violence which included potential gaps in the data regarding information on whether offenders and victims were local residents or not. In response it was noted that the Westminster SYV Task Group was looking at an outcomes framework to identify such data as it was acknowledged that some of the data around victims and offenders was not yet in a form which allowed it to be fully investigated.

5.4           Asif Rahman and John Poyton from Redthread, a youth work charity, were invited to address the Board. They discussed the work undertaken with partners to address serious youth violence at an early stage and highlighted the issues encountered. It was recognised that young people often did not interact with GPs and as a result different models of practices were being investigated to improve levels of interaction. The Board then held discussions over how the work commenced could potentially feed into that undertaken by the Primary Care Networks and Family Hubs. It was suggested that the potential to use youth provision funds to establish drop-in centres at Family Hubs or Youth Centres be investigated in order to engage young people and ensure any provision benefitted from a joined up, consistent approach.

5.5      The Board noted the initiatives being undertaken to combat serious youth violence and was pleased to provide support and assistance as required. It was suggested that further work be undertaken to share data amongst partners and welcomed the opportunity to receive a future update on youth violence related to the 19-24 aged cohort. It was suggested that the outcomes framework being developed by the Westminster SYV Task Group be circulated to the Board to allow the member organisations an opportunity to assess how they could contribute to addressing the issues discussed.