Crime Reduction - Helping to Reduce Crime in Your Area

All of the projects reviewed in depth have been successful in achieving their overall aims and objectives. The degree of success has been varied, but all young people involved have expressed their positive experiences of being involved and the fact that it has had a positive effect on other areas of their lives, such as improving self confidence, pleasure at feeling they are helping others and a desire to learn more about the subjects addressed by the projects.

The individual case studies highlight the very positive effect that participation in Safe Schools can have on a young person’s life. All cite how self confidence, social skills and attitude to school have improved.

Interviews with key players are universally supportive of Safe Schools and funding and in-kind support has been assured for the foreseeable future.

There has been an increase in the number of schools involved, although 2 staff have been seconded to other projects over the period.

Views on Safe Schools from key players from KCC and partner agencies, including schools include the following comments:

“Exceeds expectations, exceeds targets, rolled out quicker than expected”

“Given the complexity of issues and challenges, the success of Safe Schools has been phenomenal…Senior Police Officers started out sceptical but are now convinced of its benefits…Everyone has been surprised by its success….Shows improvements everywhere”

“The programme has been very successful and everybody is very pleased with the results…. There is concern that the initiative has a limited time span"

“Swale SRB could not have achieved what has been achieved without the involvement of the Safe Schools Project Officer”

“Excellent initiative…it involved listening to the views of young people, not just adults dictating what should be done”

“It has been successful to date but needs sustaining…Must not become complacent”

“Agencies work well together and are focussed on outcomes”

Safe Schools should be used as a model in other counties”

“Well done to Jill and her team – phenomenal work has been done in schools”

The evaluators themselves commented ‘It is rare to receive such universal commendations for an initiative during the evaluation process’

Recommendations for the future included:

Needs to be more stable in terms of staffing structure – staff are employed by different agencies and many are on short term contracts.

Needs to ‘bed down’ and become more mainstream – to be included in KCC’s core business.

Should be expanded to primary schools, particularly Year 6.