Ministers have confirmed that every child caught carrying a knife in England and Wales will receive a mandatory, tailored plan led by local Youth Justice Services. Announced on 11 February 2026 by Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary David Lammy, the measure forms part of a ten‑year goal to halve knife crime. (gov.uk)
Under the policy, police must refer every child knife‑possession case to Youth Justice Services. These multi‑agency teams will design targeted interventions spanning education, health and community support and will monitor progress closely; where a child fails to engage or is still judged a risk to the public, police will be notified for swift follow‑up action. (gov.uk)
In practice, these plans are expected to run through existing disposals and court orders. Where conditions are attached to a Youth Conditional Caution, non‑compliance can lead to prosecution for the original offence rather than a separate breach penalty. CPS guidance treats anyone aged 10–17 as a child for these purposes, with the age of criminal responsibility set at 10 in England and Wales. (cps.gov.uk)
Delivery is underpinned by a first‑of‑its‑kind, three‑year funding package worth over £320 million for Youth Justice Services. The Ministry of Justice has also confirmed multi‑year funding for Turnaround, including over £15 million this year, and an additional £5 million to regional partnerships to speed up community alternatives to custodial remand. (gov.uk)
Remand is a key pressure point the reforms seek to address. Official statistics show children remanded in custody made up 44% of the average youth custodial population in the year ending March 2025, and almost two‑thirds (62%) of those remanded did not subsequently receive a custodial sentence. (gov.uk)
Enforcement is being strengthened in parallel. The National Police Chiefs’ Council is establishing a National Knife Crime Coordination Centre in 2026 to support forces and help close gaps on illegal online sales, while the Home Office has implemented Ronan’s Law, including the 1 August 2025 ban on ‘ninja swords’. (news.npcc.police.uk)
Ministers cite evidence that prevention pays: more than 90% of children engaging with the government’s Turnaround programme avoided further police cautions or court in its first year. Officials also point to early reductions since the start of this Parliament in knife crime, knife homicides and hospital admissions for stabbings. (gov.uk)
Campaigners and practitioners have welcomed the emphasis on earlier, coordinated support alongside enforcement. Statements from the Kanda family and the Ben Kinsella Trust back the focus on safeguarding, rehabilitation and timely, tailored interventions for children found carrying knives. (gov.uk)
For local authorities, policing and Youth Justice Services, the announcement implies consistent referral pathways from custody suites to YJS teams, rapid assessment, and clear data‑sharing to track engagement. Existing custody‑to‑community models, such as the College of Policing‑profiled ACT Now pathway, illustrate the type of rapid contact and follow‑up government expects to see at scale. (gov.uk)
Scope and definitions remain important for operational decisions. CPS guidance confirms children are 10–17 in the justice system, while Knife Crime Prevention Orders remain available from age 12 in appropriate cases. Youth Justice Board standards and case‑management guidance continue to set expectations for assessment and safeguarding. (cps.gov.uk)
Contextual data underline the focus on serious harm reduction. The Office for National Statistics recorded 34 teenage homicide victims in the year ending March 2025, nearly half the previous year’s level, driven by a sharp fall in knife‑related teen homicides; however, average court timeliness remains at around 230 days, slowing outcomes for victims and children. (ons.gov.uk)