A Vision for Lasting Change: Shaping Durham and Darlington's Support for Young People

This report examines the provision of support services aimed at preventing and addressing youth antisocial behaviour (ASB) and serious youth violence (SYV) across Durham and Darlington. The research assessed the comprehensiveness, coherence, accessibility, and strategic alignment of current services.

To provide a robust and comprehensive examination of the support available for young people involved in or at risk of SYV and ASB in Durham and Darlington, an interrelated four stage mixed methods approach was adopted. This included integrating desk-based research, an online survey (n=33), crime and ASB data analysis, and stakeholder engagement.

Recommendations from research

1. Implement a systematic process for mapping and integrating youth crime and ASB data, ensuring alignment with local needs.
2. Develop tailored services for changing demographics, particularly girls and those entrenched in ASB and violence.
3. Enhance support for families and caregivers to foster stable environments and reduce youth engagement in harmful behaviours.
4. Establish a region-wide definition of ‘at-risk’ groups, ensuring consistent identification and targeting across agencies.
5. Consider extending youth services to cover young people beyond the age of 18, supporting the transition into adulthood.
6. Identify and address barriers to service engagement, improving awareness, accessibility, and reducing stigma.
7. Consider the role of generic youth services for Durham and Darlington, how and where they could exist. There was a universal agreement that the lack of youth services played a significant role in the current position.
8. Develop OPCC guidance for service providers to evidence the impact of interventions, enhancing accountability and resource allocation.