New team recruited to help steer Sheffield youths away from violence

Funding has been made available to help Pupil Referral Units work with children getting involved in violent crime.

In Sheffield, the pupil referral unit known as Sheffield Inclusion Centre has received the cash to work with children who have been permanently excluded from mainstream education.

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Some of the cash has been spent on a nine-strong team to work with the city’s youngsters to steer them away from lives of crime and violence.

The Department of Education earmarked funding for the centre because of the rates of violent crime involving young people in Sheffield.

Tuesday Rhodes, headteacher of the Sheffield Inclusion Centre, said: “I am thrilled that this additional funding is coming into school and will allow us to really support our young people to face a brighter future.

“The funding amounts to over £700,000 and is to be spent on a team of support specialists. We have chosen to invest in youth workers, youth offending workers, special educational needs support, a forensic psychologist and post 16 specialists.”

Sheffield Inclusion Centre has developed small community schools across Sheffield and it is claimed that attendance and attainment are improving.

In 2018, Sheffield teenager Sam Baker, 15, was stabbed to death by another teenage boy when violence flared in Lowedges.

He was being exploited by gangs operating in the city and had missed significant periods of education.

His killer was jailed for 32 months after admitting to his manslaughter.

A review into his death found the his young age, an unstable home life and lack of education provision all played a part.

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