Commenting on the Children’s Commissioner’s report on gang
involvement and youth violence, Geoff Barton, General Secretary
of the Association of School and College Leaders, said:
“It is intensely frustrating that after years of public concern
about the scourge of gang involvement and violence, this report
still finds an inadequate response from local agencies and a lack
of coordination.
“We suspect that this is not through any shortage of will, but
because of devastating cuts in central government funding which
have left vital services threadbare.
“Schools are very well aware of how gang involvement blights the
lives of young people. They are on the front line of tackling
this issue and endeavouring to keep all their pupils safe, and
this work has continued throughout the pandemic and will do so in
its aftermath.
“There is unquestionably more that can be done around support for
young people who are excluded, but it is important to recognise
that much alternative provision is already high-quality. Schools
consider very carefully any decision to exclude a pupil and take
this action only when necessary in the interests of the whole
school community.
“There is a lot to be said for the idea of opening school
premises at evenings, weekends, and in the school holidays,
particularly in communities where youth facilities are scarce. We
would be very happy to discuss the practicalities about how this
might be funded, managed and supervised.”
