A coordinated multi-agency campaign has delivered a significant improvement in community safety across Sundorne and Harlescott in Shrewsbury, following three months of targeted work by Shropshire Council and its partners.
The initiative, led by TREES (Together, Reducing and Ending Exploitation in Shropshire) within the council’s children’s services team, brought together a wide range of organisations including Shrewsbury Town Council, local schools, West Mercia Police, the National Probation Service, We Are With You, Catch22, West Mercia Youth Justice Service, detached youth teams, the council’s early help team. and other community-based agencies.
Working collaboratively, partners focused on reducing anti-social behaviour, knife-related concerns, community tensions and the risk of exploitation, while strengthening support for children, young people and families.
Over the three-month period, the partnership has reported a marked reduction in police intelligence, recorded crime, anti-social behaviour and knife-related incidents. The work has also helped to increase community confidence, ease local tensions, and improve engagement between families, and the council’s children’s services and early help teams.
The campaign was developed in response to local concerns and shared intelligence, with a strong emphasis on early intervention, prevention, safeguarding and community reassurance.
Schools played a crucial role in engaging children, families and the wider community – helping to calm tensions, reinforce positive messages, and ensure young people remained connected to trusted adults and support networks.
Partners combined proportionate enforcement with practical support. This included the use of Community Protection Warnings where appropriate, Child Abduction Warning Notices to safeguard young people at risk, and multi-agency letters to families offering guidance, support and access to services.
Close and effective information-sharing between agencies allowed risks to be identified early and responses to be coordinated swiftly.
Addressing knife crime formed a key part of the campaign, with partners working together to educate young people and communities on the risks and consequences associated with carrying knives.
This work links closely to wider community safety initiatives, including the arrival of the Knife Angel in Shropshire this July, which will provide a further opportunity for reflection, conversation and ongoing prevention activity.
Andy Hall, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for children and education, said:
“This partnership work shows the difference we can make when agencies come together around a shared commitment to protecting children and supporting families.
“The improvements we are seeing in Sundorne and Harlescott are really encouraging, particularly the reductions in anti-social behaviour and the increased confidence within the community.
“Early intervention and strong relationships with schools, families and young people are key to this success, and we remain committed to building on this progress to ensure every child feels safe, supported and able to thrive.”
Clare Jervis, exploitation and missing operational lead and team manager at Shropshire Council, added:
“This work is about breaking the cycle. It’s about being pragmatic and asking ourselves how we increase school attendance, how we support engagement in positive activities, and how we show young people and the wider community that we care.
“At the same time, we must continue to manage risk in a realistic and proportionate way. This campaign has demonstrated what can be achieved when agencies come together with a shared purpose and a focus on children’s needs.
“There are still opportunities for us to review and develop this work further, but we are confident that the progress made so far is making a real difference in improving safety and outcomes for young people and families.”
Partners will continue to build on the progress made, maintaining strong partnership working, targeted interventions and ongoing community engagement.
TREES and partner organisations remain committed to reducing exploitation, supporting children and families, and ensuring young people are safe, supported and able to thrive within their communities.
Further information
For more information about child exploitation and support available, visit the Shropshire Council website.
If you have concerns or information to share, contact West Mercia Police on 101.
