I have a new job, starting next week, as a youth worker. I’m glad because it’s a good role, and I have had a tight couple of months after the last one I was doing – working with young people who are at risk of becoming involved with county lines activities – came to an end.
On the subject of youth work, I felt let down by Rishi Sunak’s speech at the Conservative party conference. He never mentioned the recent spate of knife crime incidents. Neither he nor Suella Braverman tweeted any form of condolences to the families who have lost children to knife crime. I’m hearing from parents and children that they are scared. Some families are actively looking to leave London to keep their children safe. The government must act urgently and sit down with youth workers and community organisations, and hold a Cobra meeting: this is a national crisis.
