The average age of a young person who suffers a fatal stabbing is now 14, according to an analysis of the causes of death among children and teenagers in England between 2019 and 2024, published online. Journal of Emergency Medicine.
People of black ethnicity are 13 times more likely to suffer a fatal knife attack than their white counterparts, while children living in the most deprived areas of the country are 7 times more likely to die from their wounds than those living in the most affluent areas.
The findings indicate that experiencing domestic abuse, violence and adverse circumstances before death is also common.
Researchers say serious youth violence and knife-related deaths remain a major public health challenge, leading the UK Government to announce in 2024 that it aims to halve knife crime within the lifetime of this Parliament.
But information about exactly who the stabbing victims are, their injury patterns and the medical treatment given to those who died from their wounds has not been previously reported in detail, he says.
To bridge this knowledge gap, and help inform strategies designed to prevent knife crime deaths, researchers drew on information submitted to the National Child Mortality Database (NCMD), the first database of its kind to systematically collect all deaths of children from birth to age 17, which was established in 2019.
The researchers specifically looked at the circumstances and factors involved in fatal stabbings of children in England between April 2019 and March 2024. The death rate was corrected for population size, using 2021 census data.
During this period, 145 children and adolescents died as a result of knife wounds, a number that has increased significantly since 2021. Their average age was 14 years and almost all of them (90%; 131) were male.
The highest proportion of these deaths occurred in London (62; 43%), followed by the West Midlands (17), and the North West (16). Most (87%; 48) victims suffered multiple knife wounds.
The annual rate of deaths increased over time, with the highest rates seen in 2023–24. London has the highest annual rate of deaths per 100,000 children and adolescents, followed by the West Midlands. The lowest rates were seen in the south east and east of England.
The annual rate of deaths per 100,000 children and adolescents was 40% higher among children of black ethnicity: they were 13 times more likely to be fatally stabbed than their peers of white ethnicity.
And children living in the most deprived areas of England were 7 times more likely to die from injuries than children living in the least deprived areas of the country.
Some 57 cases were available for detailed analysis, and it showed that chest and neck injuries were responsible for three quarters (76%; 44) of deaths, with more than half (60%; 35) of these victims dying before reaching hospital.
Emotional and physical trauma featured prominently in the lives of these children. Three quarters of them (75%; 43) were known to social services before death, of whom a significant proportion (59%; 33) experienced domestic violence and abuse. The loss of a key adult figure through separation or bereavement was reported in half of the cases (51%; 29).
Gang involvement was mentioned in 37% (21) of the case files. Involvement with illicit substances before death was reported in 68% (39) of the cases. One in four (25.5%; 14) case files recorded concerns about a child carrying a knife. And more than half of the cases (60%;34) were reported as both victims and perpetrators of childhood violence.
Neurodiversity or mental health concerns were also reported in half (51%; 29) of cases; 16 (28%) children were referred to child and adolescent mental health services.
The researchers acknowledge that their study was limited to only those with fatal injuries, but nevertheless suggest that their study: “highlights the importance of improving pre-injury identification and support for children who are experiencing marginalization and adversity.”
They add: “Our findings highlight the need for services to investigate childhood experiences of violence and abuse both inside and outside the home, and to address the ways in which some children from racialized and poor backgrounds may be overlooked for early intervention.
“From our sample, despite frequent contact with statutory services, many children lacked targeted support for (adverse childhood experiences), particularly (domestic violence and abuse). This revealed significant gaps in early intervention.”
