Knife crime fears rising among children as new research reveals deaths across England
Campaigners say young people are increasingly scared, as a leading study finds at least two children a month are dying from knife injuries
A knife crime campaigner in Birmingham says young people are becoming increasingly frightened of violence, as new research highlights the scale of child deaths linked to knife injuries in England.
New analysis from the National Child Mortality Database, led by Bristol Medical School, shows at least two children a month are dying from knife injuries across England. The research, based on data from 2019 to 2024, also suggests deaths among under-17s have risen in recent years.
Anti-violence campaigner Nikita Kanda, who lost her 16-year-old brother to knife crime, has also spoken about the impact of violence on families.
Knife crime campaigner Alison Cope says fear among young people is something she sees regularly in workshops delivered in schools across the country.
She says children as young as primary school age are already worried about knife crime, with many believing high numbers of their peers are carrying weapons.
“Children are scared,” she said. “I ask young people what percentage of boys carry a knife and we get answers like 40%, 60%, 70%. Even if they’ve never seen it in real life, what they’re exposed to online is frightening them.”
Ms Cope says social media is playing a major role in shaping perceptions of violence, even in areas where knife crime is not directly present.
“The world they live in online is very good at scaring young people,” she said. “They feel they need to carry a knife to keep themselves safe.”
The research also found many child victims of knife crime had been known to statutory services before their deaths, raising concerns about gaps in early intervention and support.
Ms Cope says that reflects wider pressures on services, arguing that support systems are struggling to cope with demand.
“In one school, I saw 300 safeguarding reports in a single day,” she said. “We just don’t have enough support systems in place to deal with what’s coming in.”
She added that knife crime is not limited to gangs or specific communities, saying online exposure means it now affects young people across all areas.
“Social media is in every household,” she said. “This is now everybody’s problem.”
The study also highlights links between child victims and multiple vulnerabilities, including poverty, domestic abuse and exposure to violence.
Ms Cope says more focus must be placed on prevention and early intervention.
“Until we have proper wraparound support, we’re going to keep missing young people who need help,” she said.
The findings come ahead of the latest national knife crime statistics, due to be published later this week.