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Youth Knife Possession Manifesto Commitment
12 February 2026
Type
Written Ministerial Statement
Department
Ministry of Justice
At a Glance
Issue Summary
The statement addresses the Government's new guidance on child knife possession offences, aiming to ensure swift and robust responses for children found with knives.
Action Requested
The guidance requires police forces to refer every case of a child in possession of a knife to Youth Justice Services, which will develop targeted action plans addressing the root causes of offending. This includes measures like mentoring schemes and educational support, along with stricter consequences for repeat offenders or non-compliance.
Key Facts
- Government guidance applies to all police forces and Youth Justice Services in England and Wales.
- Knife crime has fallen by 8% since the start of this Parliament, resulting in 4,229 fewer offences.
- Knife homicides are down by 27%, hospital admissions for stabbings have decreased by 11%.
- Nearly 60,000 knives have been taken off streets.
- Around 1,000 children currently face no meaningful consequences or intervention when caught with a knife.
- Every child found in possession of a knife will be referred to a Youth Justice Service for a mandatory plan to prevent reoffending.
- Plans address root causes such as exploitation by criminal gangs or childhood trauma.
- Local scrutiny and independent inspections ensure guidance implementation.
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