This time last year, before we all truly appreciated the devastation and disruption COVID-19 would bring, serious youth violence was rapidly rising up the Government’s agenda.

After a 12-month hiatus, there are welcome signs this issue is coming back into focus. As local systems leaders, these matters are never far from the minds of directors of children’s services and even during the pandemic, with extensive social restrictions in place, too many parents and carers sadly received a knock on the door to tell them their child would not be coming home.