Every child carrying a knife must have tailored support

John Tizard, Police and Crime Commissioner for Bedfordshire, has welcomed the positive commitment from David Lammy, Deputy Prime Minister and Lord Chancellor, to fulfil an important manifesto pledge to address knife crime and support children caught in possession of a knife. 

The government will require the police to 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 support each child. 

These specialised plans will address the root causes of a child’s offending, including potential exploitation by criminal gangs and childhood trauma. Children could be required to attend mentoring to stay in education or social skills training to boost employability. This will give them the foundations they need to turn their backs on crime and help keep our streets safe. 

These plans will be mandatory, with no child able to avoid getting the support they need. 

The PCC said this approach rightly recognises that enforcement alone is not the answer. 

He highlighted the extensive work already underway in Bedfordshire through the Violence and Exploitation Prevention Partnership (VEPP), which supports young people at critical moments when their life’s direction can still change, but said that with this government initiative we can and will go further, faster. 

The Luton Youth Partnership Service Triage and Diversion programme, with support from the VEPP, has received 338 referrals since April 2025, including 218 from Bedfordshire Police. So far this delivery year, the service has successfully diverted 80 children and young people away from entering the youth justice system. 

John Tizard, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Bedfordshire, said: 

“Every child should be supported as well as held to account if they carry a knife with the intent of using it to cause harm. This activity is illegal and must be addressed as such. However, we need to ensure that enforcement alone is not sufficient to protect society, nor to support that child to change course. 

“We have a duty to prevent harm and protect children — and we are talking about children. We must prevent them from falling into a life of crime and save them from criminal exploitation. 

“The government has set the expectation, and I call on our Bedfordshire partners — the police, local authorities, schools, the NHS and community groups — to step up. Let’s embrace and implement the government’s programme with commitment and enthusiasm. We owe this to the children of our county and to the wider community.” 

“By providing proactive, holistic support to young people, families and communities, Bedfordshire’s VEPP, which is part of my office, works to stop harm before it takes hold. 

“This includes diverting those vulnerable to gangs or criminal activity towards safer paths and offering specialist guidance for those who may not know where to turn. 

Louisa Glynn, Programme Manager for the Bedfordshire Violence and Exploitation Prevention Partnership, said: 

“In Bedfordshire, our partnership is working together every day to make sure children and young people get the support they need at the earliest possible point. Through strong collaboration between youth justice services, schools, the police, and community organisations, we are able to identify vulnerability sooner and divert young people away from the youth justice system wherever possible. 

“Our local teams are already delivering impactful diversion and prevention work. The government’s announcement gives us the opportunity to build on what is already working well in Bedfordshire, helping more young people to stay safe and move towards positive futures.” 

“The Commissioner said this new national policy will strengthen the local prevention work already underway, supporting ongoing efforts to keep Bedfordshire’s communities and young people safe.”