Justice Secretary David Lammy today unveils measures to make sure children caught carrying blades are given a mandatory plan to get them back on track
David Lammy will today unveil plans to make sure no kid caught with a knife slips through the net.
The Deputy PM will deliver on a pledge to ensure every youngster gets a mandatory plan drawn up to steer them away from crime. From now on police will be required to refer every child found carrying a knife to local Youth Justice Services teams.
These will be tasked with addressing the root causes of their actions – and children may have enforced mentoring to get them on track.
Mr Lammy, who is also Justice Secretary, said: “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.”
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There will be an additional £320million invested into Youth Justice Services, the Government has announced.
The plans have been drawn up by the Ministry of Justice and the Home Office.
Policing minister Sarah Jones said: “Carrying a knife will now trigger an immediate, mandatory intervention – no excuses.” She said the measures would help prevent violence before it happens.
Ms Jones said: “We’re acting fast to stop violence before it starts and keep our streets safe.”
Officials say 90% of children who engaged with a similar government programme, called Turnaround, avoid future police cautions or court. The move has been welcomed by campaigners.
Patrick Green, chief executive of The Ben Kinsella Trust – set up in memory of 16-year-old Ben, who was stabbed to death in 2008 – said: “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.”
The Government has pledged to halve knife crime within a decade.
Data published last month showed a 23% fall in knife homicides, while overall blade offences were down by 9% in the 12 months to September 2025. Overall there were 50,430 cases reported to police forces.