Step Up, Stay Safe

Step Up, Stay Safe is a multi-disciplinary partnership approach to tackling exclusions and serious youth violence affecting young people in Barking and Dagenham. We work with community organisations, the youth offending service, and local stakeholders to further support the wellbeing and resilience of adults, young people, and children.

The approach draws on the knowledge of professionals and organisations who have been supporting young people for decades. We use services that believe in community development and the upskilling of their participants.

Step Up, Stay Safe was supported by a campaign titled 'Lost Hours' which aims to raise awareness about the importance of looking out for your child in the hours of 3-7pm.


Our priorities over the next year include:

  1. Increasing our parental offer and infrastructure - families are empowered to contribute to the safety of children and their local area through accessing training and development.
  2. Engaging the community - Step Up, Stay Safe is recognised by more grassroots organisations, community networks, and individuals across the borough.
  3. Launch the next phase of the Lost Hours campaign - Teachers and pupils are aware of where to get support for themselves or their peers, if they are at risk of crime and exploitation.


What's on offer?

Peer support for parents

Parent/Carer Champion Network - the local authority and Lifeline are working in partnership to support a Champion network.

The Champion network is a great opportunity to engage with peers who have been trained to help other parents and carers support their children, especially around issues of serious youth violence and exclusions.

If you are interested in connecting with a peer who has expertise in supporting children and young people, please visit Lifeline - Champion Network


Trauma-informed training

Spark2Life are delivering trauma awareness training sessions for adult members of the Barking - and Dagenham community who want to improve their interactions with young people. This is open to all adults and sessions can be booked for large cohorts of referrals.

Training will take place via Zoom.

For more information please contact: admin@spark2life.co.uk and copy (cc) danyele@spark2life.co.uk



Opportunities for young people

The borough has a rich offer for young people at risk of serious youth violence, exploitation, and exclusion from school.

We are lucky to be supported by some great organisations across the borough, including but not restrictive to:

  • Arc Theatre
  • Ab Phab Youth Club
  • Box Up Crime
  • Future M.O.L.D.S Communities
  • Future YouthZone
  • Lifeline Community Projects
  • Spark2Life
  • Studio 3 arts
  • WDP - Subwize
  • Youth at Risk Matric (YARM)
  • Youth League UK


If you would like to discuss some of the opportunities open for referral to young people, please email suss@lbbd.gov.uk (please refrain from discussing safeguarding issues through this address).

Step Up, Stay Safe is a multi-disciplinary partnership approach to tackling exclusions and serious youth violence affecting young people in Barking and Dagenham. We work with community organisations, the youth offending service, and local stakeholders to further support the wellbeing and resilience of adults, young people, and children.

The approach draws on the knowledge of professionals and organisations who have been supporting young people for decades. We use services that believe in community development and the upskilling of their participants.

Step Up, Stay Safe was supported by a campaign titled 'Lost Hours' which aims to raise awareness about the importance of looking out for your child in the hours of 3-7pm.


Our priorities over the next year include:

  1. Increasing our parental offer and infrastructure - families are empowered to contribute to the safety of children and their local area through accessing training and development.
  2. Engaging the community - Step Up, Stay Safe is recognised by more grassroots organisations, community networks, and individuals across the borough.
  3. Launch the next phase of the Lost Hours campaign - Teachers and pupils are aware of where to get support for themselves or their peers, if they are at risk of crime and exploitation.


What's on offer?

Peer support for parents

Parent/Carer Champion Network - the local authority and Lifeline are working in partnership to support a Champion network.

The Champion network is a great opportunity to engage with peers who have been trained to help other parents and carers support their children, especially around issues of serious youth violence and exclusions.

If you are interested in connecting with a peer who has expertise in supporting children and young people, please visit Lifeline - Champion Network


Trauma-informed training

Spark2Life are delivering trauma awareness training sessions for adult members of the Barking - and Dagenham community who want to improve their interactions with young people. This is open to all adults and sessions can be booked for large cohorts of referrals.

Training will take place via Zoom.

For more information please contact: admin@spark2life.co.uk and copy (cc) danyele@spark2life.co.uk



Opportunities for young people

The borough has a rich offer for young people at risk of serious youth violence, exploitation, and exclusion from school.

We are lucky to be supported by some great organisations across the borough, including but not restrictive to:

  • Arc Theatre
  • Ab Phab Youth Club
  • Box Up Crime
  • Future M.O.L.D.S Communities
  • Future YouthZone
  • Lifeline Community Projects
  • Spark2Life
  • Studio 3 arts
  • WDP - Subwize
  • Youth at Risk Matric (YARM)
  • Youth League UK


If you would like to discuss some of the opportunities open for referral to young people, please email suss@lbbd.gov.uk (please refrain from discussing safeguarding issues through this address).

Page last updated: 16 Aug 2021, 12:01 PM