Data for School Violence Prevention Programs

Background

Violence and the fear of violence affects young people's physical and emotional wellbeing. Recent surveys of 10,000 teenagers (aged 13-17) in England and Wales revealed alarming statistics: 67% fear becoming victims of violence, 22% report anxiety affecting their mental health, and 20% experienced violence in the past year, with 61% of incidents resulting in physical injury.

Challenge

Schools face challenges in supporting students who are affected by violence. Data shows that children who have been arrested, excluded from school, frequently absent, or have gone missing from home are at higher risk. Additionally, students with temporary suspensions, Special Educational Needs, or those in Alternative Provision are more likely to experience violence as either victims or perpetrators.

Approach

ImpactEd Group, working alongside Youth Endowment Found, and partnering with schools, multi-academy trusts, local authorities, and charities over three years, has identified effective practices for delivering high quality violence prevention programmes and evaluating schemes

Improving Evaluation of Violence Prevention Programmes

Inclusive and accessible data collection:

- Adapted tools based on learner need

- One-on-one data collection for students with emotional difficulties

- Combining differing methods (observation, scrapbooks, feedback postcards)

- Providing clear, child-friendly guidance  

Balancing theoretical best and pragmatic practice:

- Establishing shared understanding of evaluation purposes

- Securing buy-in from all stakeholders

- Using validated, existing survey platforms

- Defining clear roles and responsibilities

Results

The Youth Endowment Fund's Toolkit identifies "best bets" for violence prevention based on accumulated evidence. By grounding the toolkit in data, schools can target interventions to those most at risk.

For more on the work, see Youth Endowment Fund.