Children, Violence and Vulnerability 2023

The Youth Endowment Fund (YEF) has released its second annual report on children, violence and vulnerability. The report revealed the high rates of children’s exposure to violence, as 47% said they had been a victim or witness to violence in the past year. Additionally, 48% of those who committed violence were also victims.

Findings include:

• 16% of teenage children had been a victim of violence in the last 12 months.
• 47% of teens had been a victim or witness of violence in the last 12 months.
• 68% of children that were victims said they’d experienced violence that led to physical injuries.
• 60% of children saw real-world acts of violence on social media, increasing to over 85% of children most at risk of involvement with violence. 29% had seen content relating to weapons.
• 47% of children reported that violence and the fear of violence impacted their day-to-day lives.
• 20% of children (1 in 5) said they’d skipped school due to feeling unsafe.
• Victimisation rates were 31% among those now using foodbanks.
• 62% of children thought that drugs were a major factor and half thought gangs were – the two highest drivers.

Summary report

Full report