YEF Guidance Hub
Discover our evidence-based practice and system guidance reports to protect children from involvement in violence in your sector
Education
How can school, college and AP settings, and the education sector as a whole, best protect children from involvement in violence?

- Practice Guidance
Report:Education, Children and Violence
Our Education, Children and Violence guidance provides school, college and alternative provision (AP) leaders across England and Wales with fiveevidence-based recommendations on how to help prevent children’s involvement in violence. Introduction from the Assistant Director of Change for Education, Insights and Collaboration In this short video, we introduce the guidance and outline how school, college…Education - System Guidance
Report:Education Policy, Children and Violence
Our Education Policy, Children and Violence guidance, provides education policymakers across England and Wales with eight recommendations on how to prevent children’s involvement in violence. Introduction from the Head of Guidance and Policy Recommendations All the recommendations propose changes to the education system in both England and Wales, except for Recommendation 3. This recommendation applies…Education
Policing
How does evidence-based policing best prevent violence – including through working with other organisations where the police are not the lead?

- Practice Guidance
Report:Focused deterrence delivery guidance
This report offers practical guidance to help organisations deliver effective and equitable focused deterrence (FD) in England and Wales. This guidance is aimed at the delivery of FD programmes to reduce serious violence that involves children and young people. It also acknowledges the role of influential older associates, including adults, who may be contributing to…Policing - Practice Guidance
Report:Diversion Practice Guidance
This report – which was co-authored by the Centre for Justice Innovation – focuses on what happens to children at the early stages of the youth justice system when they first encounter the police. This includes both informal diversion schemes that divert children from all formal outcomes and formal out-of-court disposals, which can involve a…Youth Justice
Practice Guidance to be published in summer 2026.
System Guidance to be published in spring 2027.
Youth Justice
How do we best support arrested children to prevent them becoming involved in violence?

- Practice Guidance
Report:Diversion Practice Guidance
This report – which was co-authored by the Centre for Justice Innovation – focuses on what happens to children at the early stages of the youth justice system when they first encounter the police. This includes both informal diversion schemes that divert children from all formal outcomes and formal out-of-court disposals, which can involve a…Youth Justice - Practice Guidance
Report:Focused deterrence delivery guidance
This report offers practical guidance to help organisations deliver effective and equitable focused deterrence (FD) in England and Wales. This guidance is aimed at the delivery of FD programmes to reduce serious violence that involves children and young people. It also acknowledges the role of influential older associates, including adults, who may be contributing to…Policing - System Guidance
Report:Arrested Children: how to keep children safe and reduce reoffending
The Youth Endowment Fund exists to prevent children from becoming involved in violence. One of the ways we seek to achieve this mission is improving support for children when they are arrested. This includes diverting them from formal youth justice processes like appearing at court. This is a critical moment where effective support can change…Youth Justice
Practice guidance to be published in summer 2027
System guidance to be published in winter 2027
Youth Sector
How can youth workers, and the youth sector as a whole, best protect children from involvement in violence?

- Practice Guidance
Report:Youth work and violence prevention
Violence affects too many children and young people across England and Wales. In our Children, violence and vulnerability report, one in five 13–17-year-olds reported being a victim of violence in the past year, and one in eight reported committing violence. The impact is serious, long-lasting, and extends far beyond those directly involved. Introduction from the…Youth Sector
System Guidance to be published in summer 2026
Children’s Services
How can we protect children from involvement in extra-familial harm, and ensure that Children’s Services are taking evidence-based approaches to safeguarding children from violence?

Practice guidance to be published in summer 2026
System guidance to be published in spring 2027
Neighbourhoods
How do we best support the neighbourhoods sector to support children at risk of violence outside the home?

Practice guidance to be published in summer 2026
System guidance to be published in spring 2027
Violence Against Women and Girls
How can we prevent violence against women and girls?
Practice guidance to be published in summer 2027