A scheme aiming to steer children arrested for violence away from crime has claimed remarkable success, with up to nine out of ten diverted from further offending, according to a new report. Funded by London’s Violence Reduction Unit (VRU), the scheme places specialist youth workers in police custody centres across the capital.

The VRU says the overwhelming majority of 10- to 17-year-olds do not reoffend within 12 months of release following intervention. A report marking London VRU’s first five years estimates the annual cost of youth violence in the city at £1 billion, including pressure on police, courts, health, and victim services. Director Lib Peck said the unit’s £40 million annual cost is far outweighed by the savings from reduced reoffending.

Michael Gosling, a youth worker based in police custody, said he focuses on gaining children’s trust and advises them not to discuss their crimes with him. Most, he said, want to talk about what led to their arrest. Some are driven by hunger or the desire for trainers, while others are drawn in by what he called “the playground of opportunities”. Older gang members, he added, often target vulnerable children for recruitment