YEF: Beyond the Headlines 2026 Summary – Trends in violence affecting children

The Youth Endowment Fund’s annual Beyond the Headlines is an annual look at key trends and data on violence affecting children and young people. They use 11 indicators to track whether things are getting better or worse, and how well the systems that matter most for supporting children and young people are performing.

This year the report added a new indicator focused on violence against young women and girls. The report covers up to 2024/25, the latest full year for which data is available.

Here are some of the key headlines:

• The number of young homicide victims reached its lowest point in over a decade.
• Knife crime was down in the latest year.
• Fewer children were involved in the justice system for violent offences.
• The number of boys arrested for sexual offences is growing.
• The proportion of children who reoffend has fallen (again).

Click here to access the Beyond the Headlines 2026 Summary

Click here to download the full report

Click here to see the Core indicators dashboard