CYP Now - Taking teachable moments to cut risk of violence

Hospital-based youth workers use the immediate aftermath of violence as an opportunity for young people to address risky behaviour and tackle exploitation.

Many of Redthread’s hospital-based youth workers have backgrounds in mental health, youth justice services and social work. Picture: Redthread

PROJECT

Youth Violence Intervention Programme

PURPOSE

To present pathways out of violence and exploitation to young people in the Midlands

FUNDING

Funding includes £500,000 from the Health Foundation’s Scaling Up Improvement programme and £100,000 from Nottingham Hospitals Charity

BACKGROUND

Charity Redthread started working with King’s College Hospital in 2006, embedding youth workers in the emergency department. The success of the programme led to an expansion into four other London hospitals, funded by the London Mayor’s Office. However, youth violence is not a problem limited to the capital. Redthread was approached by three hospitals in Birmingham and Nottingham in 2017, asking whether the model could be rolled out in the Midlands. “The clinicians recognised they were seeing a pattern of a crisis, followed by another crisis, and were aware that a medical intervention isn’t of itself enough to stop that violence or exploitation continuing,” says Redthread chief executive John Poyton.

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