Communities that Care
A structured approach that trains and supports groups of local people to develop and implement an evidence-based plan for violence prevention.
Estimated impact on violent crime:
Evidence quality:
Cost:
What is it?
Communities that Care (CtC) is a long-term, place-based approach to violence prevention. It enables local residents and organisations to identify the needs and strengths in their area and deliver evidence-based solutions. For example, a community might identify low school engagement and poor social skills as key risks for young people. With support from CtC, schools and youth workers may be trained to deliver a school-based social and emotional learning programme to help pupils build positive relationships and prosocial skills.
Communities that Care is not a stand-alone intervention, but a structured approach delivered in five phases:
- Getting started: securing support from local leaders from key sectors, including schools, policing, faith groups, youth justice, health, voluntary and community sector, and assessing their ability to commit time and resources long-term.
- Getting organised: forming a coalition – a diverse group of community members with representation from key sectors, agreeing shared goals, and planning collaborative efforts.
- Developing a community profile: using local data to identify community strengths and risks that may impact on the likelihood of children becoming involved in violence or crime. Strengths might include strong relationships between schools and families or active youth groups, while risks might include low school engagement or family conflict.
- Creating an action plan: choosing evidence-based programmes that address local priorities.
- Implementing and monitoring: delivering chosen programmes, monitoring progress, and adjusting the plan if community needs change.
Implementation usually takes two to five years. It is led by the CtC coordinator, a trained project lead employed by the local area. They are supported by specialist CtC staff who advise on how to assess local needs and develop effective responses.
Programmes delivered through CtC vary by area but often include:
- Family-based interventions, such as parenting programmes and intensive family therapy.
- School-based interventions that develop social and emotional learning or support educational engagement and attainment.
- Skills development programmes, positive activities, sports, or mentoring.
Communities that Care aims to reduce crime and violence by strengthening community collaboration, aligning services around shared goals, and embedding a long-term, evidence-based approach to prevention.
Is it effective?
The research suggests that, on average, the impact of Communities that Care on preventing violence is likely to be low.
The evidence suggests that Communities that Care may reduce violence by 10%.
The research also suggests that, on average, CtC has no effect on offending outcomes, indicating that it may be more effective when targeting violence outcomes specifically, but the evidence is weak.
How secure is the evidence?
We have very low confidence in our estimate of the average impact of Communities that Care on violence.
We gave this rating because our estimate is based on seven studies, four of which were rated moderate quality and three were rated low quality. There is also a lot of variation in the results of those studies.
We have low confidence in our estimate of the impact of CtC on crime. Whilst it is based on ten studies, the quality of those studies ranges from moderate to very low, and there is a lot of variation in the results.
Most of the available studies were conducted in the US and Australia.
Who does it work for?
The review did not find any studies that explored the impact of Communities that Care on gender, ethnicity, disability, neurodivergence, socioeconomic status or care experience.
How can you implement it well?
Twenty-four studies provided evidence on implementation, most of which were from the US, with a few from Australia and the Netherlands, and none from the UK.
Build a strong coalition
Form a coalition with motivated community members and key sectors, including education, health, policing, youth justice, social care, and the voluntary and community sector. Coalitions that bring together local services and include active community members are more likely to stay motivated, share resources, and maintain long-term commitment.
Plan and resource a long-term programme
Put time and money into having a full-time CtC lead coordinator, regular coalition meetings, and structured training for members. Without dedicated capacity or long-term funding, coalitions often lose momentum and dissolve once initial support ends.
Invest in training and technical assistance
Provide coalition members and leaders with high-quality training on violence prevention and the CtC process. Ensure ongoing technical assistance from accredited trainers who can advise on interpreting local data, selecting suitable evidence-based programmes, and resolving implementation challenges.
Choose evidence-based programmes that fit local needs
Use local data, such as administrative records and community consultations, including surveys involving children and young people, to understand local needs. Select evidence-based programmes that match those priorities. A well-balanced CtC action plan should include both universal programmes and targeted programmes.
How much does it cost?
On average, the cost of Communities that Care is likely to be high.
Reported costs vary depending on the size of the community, the number of programmes delivered, and the level of technical assistance provided.
Delivering CtC requires sustained investment in a full-time coordinator, coalition training, ongoing technical assistance and monitoring, and the delivery of multiple evidence-based programmes over two to five years. This makes CtC a higher cost option compared to individual interventions.
International studies suggest that CtC can be more resource-intensive during the early phases, when training and technical support are required, but ongoing costs decrease once coalitions are established and programmes become embedded in local systems.
Topic summary
- Communities that Care is a community-based prevention system that supports local areas to build coalitions, use data to identify risks, and implement evidence-based programmes.
- CTC is estimated to have a low impact on reducing violence, but we have very low confidence in this estimate.
- Effective implementation depends on strong coalitions, long-term delivery, training, ongoing technical assistance, and careful programme selection.
- Costs mainly include a lead coordinator, coalition training, ongoing technical assistance, and delivery of locally chosen programmes. Costs are higher in the early phases but likely to decrease as programmes become embedded.
Take away messages
- Do not commission or scale new CtC programmes until further research demonstrates that the approach can be delivered effectively in the UK context.
- If CtC is being implemented, plan for long-term commitment. The approach requires several years of coordination, training, and technical assistance; short-term projects are unlikely to produce meaningful change.
- Use local data and consultation to identify risks and priorities, and select evidence-based programmes that fit the community’s needs. Balance universal approaches, such as school-based prevention, with targeted support for children at-risk or already involved in violence.
YEF guidance, projects and evaluations
Neither the Neighbourhood Fund nor the Area Leaders Programme are CtC models, but both follow several of the same principles: community empowerment, local action planning, and coordinated partnership working, making them relevant to understanding approaches like CtC.
Neighbourhood Fund – Building safer communities report
The report outlines YEF’s approach to evaluating the Neighbourhood Fund and learnings from five local partnerships in England and Wales.
Neighbourhood Fund Year 1 and Year 2 Implementation and Process Evaluation Reports
The reports describe how local partnerships have developed and delivered action plans to prevent youth violence.
The practice insights guide aims to support the delivery of the YEF Area Leaders Programme.
External links
Working in partnership with people and communities: Statutory guidance
A guidance developed by NHS England intended to support health and care systems to build positive and enduring partnerships with local communities in order to improve services and outcomes for everyone.
Ending Gang and Youth Violence Community Involvement
A Home Office-produced guidance on community coalition-building and local engagement to address gang and youth violence.