Keeping children and young people safe

One of our key priorities for this Police and Crime Plan is to make London a safer city for children and young people by working to tackle the crimes that cause most harm to young Londoners including: knife crime, gang-related crime, sexual abuse and serious youth violence.

We're taking action against those who prey on children either by offending against them or by grooming and exploiting them to engage in criminal behaviour.

Our focus is on preventing crime, intervening with those already involved in criminal activity, and enforcing the law for those who persist in breaking it.

What are we doing?

To keep children and young people safe in London we are:

  • Protecting and safeguarding young Londoners, particularly supporting them when they are victims of crime
  • Tackling knife crime and other violence by and against young people
  • Addressing the problem of gang violence in London
  • Conducting a review of the MPS Gangs Matrix
  • Focusing on preventing young people from getting involved in crime and entering the Criminal Justice Service for the first time
  • Addressing reoffending by young people
Read the plan

Get involved

Find out about community projects and schemes you can get involved with in your area:

More information

Facts about why keeping children and young people safe in London is important

  • 1,844
    Londoners under 25
    were injured as a result of non-domestic knife crimes in 2016.
  • 1,600
    children in London
    identified by the MPS as being at risk of sexual exploitation.
  • 43%
    of young offenders
    in London reoffend within one year of ending their sentence.
  • 17000
    MPS investigations
    into child sexual abuse over the past year.

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