Troubled Families teams to get £5m to tackle youth violence

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said the Supporting Families Against Youth Crime fund will allow keyworkers, community groups, teachers and other professionals working with children and young people to intervene earlier to help them develop the personal resilience to withstand peer pressure and make their own positive life choices.

It said it will also support more in-depth work with parents and carers to help them fully understand the risk factors and dangers of their children becoming drawn into gang crime and the youth justice system.

Councils will be able to bid for funding to bolster their response to youth violence and gangs in their local area, as part of their Troubled Families programme.

Communities Secretary James Brokenshire said knife crime and gang violence can devastate the lives of young people, families and their communities.

"Carrying knives must never become normal behaviour and we need to change the culture among many young people," he said.

"Early intervention and prevention is vital to tackling violence. That is why I am announcing £5m to support initiatives which are helping young people to take a positive direction in life."

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The government has so far committed £920m to the Troubled Families programme, which aims to turn around 400,000 families by 2020.

Other measures previously announced by government to tackle serious youth violence includes a consultation on a legal duty for public services like health, education and welfare to tackle serious violence, and a £200m Youth Endowment Fund aimed at steering those most at risk of youth violence away from becoming young offenders.