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The ADCS blog: vulnerability and violence

At the start of a new year, I have been reflecting on the year that was 2024; a real year of change that brought a general election, a new government, extra funding and new legislation for children and children’s services.  There’s a lot on the reform to-do list, but we lack a single space where we can talk about serious violence in the broadest sense, its impact on children and what we as adults need to do.
Andy Smith is president of ADCS and strategic director of people services at Derby City Council

This issue sits on the cusp of multiple systems and responses, there’s a role for safeguarding and education, for the policing and criminal justice systems as well as the health and welfare systems, to name just a few. 

It’s important to recognise that the vast majority of children and young people will not carry a knife, be criminally exploited or stopped and searched by the police, but sadly the majority of school-age girls will already be well rehearsed in adjusting their behaviour and social interactions in a bid to keep themselves safe.  Violence in our society, and in too many children’s lives and homes, is something we need to face, including the known unknowns and what goes on behind closed doors or is seen on screens.

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