London City Hall warns homelessness fuels violence, affecting school engagement and identity in young people.
Peck says homelessness causes school disengagement, leading young people to feel like they don’t belong and lack a sense of identity. This lack of belonging and identity affects their engagement, often causing them to drop out of school.
A recent report found many Londoners are homeless; over 183,000 people live in temporary housing. Social housing waiting lists are very long, with over 336,000 households currently waiting.
Peck believes better housing helps to reduce violence, stating that housing is “absolutely a long-term factor.” Furthermore, she argues that the stresses of renting impact kids, especially those without homes.
The Violence Reduction Unit began operating six years ago with the goal of preventing violence at its roots. The unit has early intervention programs, and Peck reported positive results from these.
One program, called ‘Talk Matters’, helps young kids communicate effectively. It’s currently implemented in over 70 primary schools, and teachers have noticed that children use words more and violence less.
Another program teaches healthy relationships in 66 schools. Through arts and drama, kids learn about healthy relationships, enabling them to better understand them and spot relationship red flags early on.
A third program provides mentors to struggling students. These mentors work at pupil referral units, and reportedly, attendance increased in these schools, whilst incidents decreased. Peck states that 82% reported increased attendance, and 86% reported reductions in incidents.
The VRU wants schools to avoid suspensions, recommending they only suspend for safety reasons. They believe that keeping kids in class helps them and protects them from violent crime.
Research links school absence to crime, with over half of young offenders skipping school often. The VRU champions creating “inclusive” schools, with a current count of 100,000 kids attending rights-respecting schools.
Peck advocates for long-term investment from the government to fund violence reduction programs, allowing for increased violence prevention. She highlights that London spends millions tackling violence daily.