Keeping your child safe from knife crime

You can play an important role in stopping knife crime becoming a part of your child’s life. Knowing the law and talking to your child about the dangers can help keep them safe.

Know the law

Before talking to your child about knives, you need to know the facts:

  • it is illegal for anyone to carry a knife if they intend to use it as a weapon – even in self defence
  • police can search anyone they suspect of carrying a knife
  • carrying a knife could mean being arrested, going to court and getting a criminal record, or even a prison sentence.

Knives in school

It is a criminal offence to have a knife or other weapon on school premises. If a knife or other weapon is found on a pupil, the police will be called and it is likely the pupil will be arrested.

Talking to your child about knives

The best way to stop your child getting involved with knives is to talk to them about the dangers. This may not be easy, as they may not want to talk about it, but keep trying as this is the first step to keeping your child safe.

Keep a look out

Sometimes there might be obvious reasons for you to think your child is carrying a knife – such as a knife going missing from the kitchen. However there are other more subtle signs that you and the parents of your child’s friends can look out for.

  • school’s not going well or they don’t want to go in to school at all
  • they’ve been a recent victim of theft/bullying/mugging
  • a different network of friends who may be older than your child.

Remind your child that they should always walk away if confronted with the threat of violence.

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