Navigating young people away from violence

To help support young people who are experiencing violence, or are at risk of violence, when they attend our Emergency Departments, we now have specially trained Navigators on hand to engage with vulnerable 10 to 25-year-olds.

By working in partnership with Merseyside Youth Association (MYA), we now have youth workers working alongside our hospital staff to proactively identify vulnerable young people and help them to access the support they need to prevent any potential escalation of violence and reduce the risk of repeat victimisation or exploitation.

The abuse navigators are based in our A&E's and will co-ordinate support for young people attending our Emergency Departments right through to their discharge back into the community.

The team also work closely with our Safeguarding Team, Katherine Cline, MYA Navigator Coordinator, said: “Our Navigator service is a bespoke support offer for any young person aged 10-25 who has been impacted by violence, and our aim is to reduce numbers of young people returning back to hospital due to violence.

“Navigator support is offered both when young people are at hospital, and once they're back in their community. By building a rapport and becoming a trusted adult for the young person, through phone calls, meetings in the community and home visits, Navigators build a picture of a young person's life and identify any gaps of support, including mental health, housing, education or social aspects.

“Since the service began in February 2022, we have received 131 referrals across LUHFT, including young people who have been stabbed and shot. Often, these young people can receive no further contact once they leave hospital. It's important that we offer Navigator intervention as a support mechanism that can signpost and refer to the specialist support they require. We can help that individual to turn their lives around. One young person said that since working with a Navigator, he ''feels more confident and much safer''.

“As a staff member, when you refer into the Navigator service via the ADT Dashboard, you know that you will be giving that young person an opportunity to receive support, and that they have not been forgotten once they're back in the community.”