Education and Violence

The last decade has seen rising involvement of children in violence across England and Wales. While one in four teenage children report being involved in violence, we know children with additional needs are disproportionately affected (Youth Endowment Fund [YEF], 2023a). Urgent action is required to turn these trends around. As the service that children are most in touch with, schools play an increasingly critical role in keeping children safe from violence. To support this vital work, the YEF recommends a number of effective practices focused on keeping children in education, providing trusted adults and developing their social and emotional skills (YEF, 2024b). These practices can make a real difference in children’s lives, mitigating vulnerabilities and building resilience to violence. Education settings cannot, however, autonomously act to reduce violence. The policy and system context in which they operate profoundly shapes – and often limits – their ability to deliver what works. The primary aim of this study, commissioned by the YEF, is to identify what needs to change at the policy and system levels to empower more education settings to reduce violence. Our report dives into the education policy and system landscape in England and Wales, examining how it influences the practices that education settings can implement. We explore what current practice looks like, highlight examples of promising approaches and pinpoint the barriers preventing broader adoption of successful strategies. Finally, the report presents a set of five actionable suggestions for policy and system change grounded in the evidence on what would help to strengthen practice and transform children’s outcomes. Our intention is that the findings of this report, and particularly the policy and system changes we suggest, will help guide education policymakers as they work to support the education system and make meaningful progress in preventing children’s involvement in violence.