Sussex anti-knife crime scheme shortlisted for award

The scheme has been running at the Royal Alexandra Children's Hospital in Brighton since April 2022

A knife crime prevention scheme at a Sussex children's hospital has been shortlisted for an award.

Youth Workers are supporting young people treated at the Royal Alexandra Children's Hospital in Brighton, East Sussex, who may have experienced trauma including violence or criminal exploitation.

Sussex Police said the project was helping to reduce re-admissions.

It has been shortlisted for a Children and Young People Now Award.

The project, run by the Trust for Developing Communities, aims to support young people with "non-judgemental guidance" from youth workers in A&E, to stop re-admissions, including for knife violence related incidents.

Sussex Police said youth workers had made 288 interventions since the programme began in April 2022.

Det Ch Insp Simon Yates said: "What we've seen around serious violence and knife crime specifically is that if they're coming here with tragic injuries then it is likely they will become either an offender or a victim again within the next year.

"They will open up to the youth workers. It's a different level of engagement."

Youth work manager Sean Older said the team have spoken to young people about issues including violence, substance abuse and victimhood

The scheme is funded by the Brighton based Rockinghorse Children's Charity and the Sussex Violence Reduction Partnership (VRP).

Sean Older, youth work manager at the hospital, described the team as being "really good at informal and non-judgemental engagement with young people".

Fellow youth worker Roman Waters said: "Being based right where young people come into the hospital when they are at crisis point means I am in a position to help them straight away."

Under the scheme, youth workers can continue to work with young people who need long-term support after their initial clinical needs are met by staff in A&E.

The CYP Now Awards take place on Thursday.

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