You can unsubscribe at any time.Thank you for subscribingWe have more newslettersShow meSee ourprivacy noticeNorthumbria Police has been given an extra 1.6 million to prevent children becoming involved in violent crime, following warnings the Covid pandemic and lockdowns helped gangs recruit young people.The money will fund a body called a Violence Reduction Unit, which brings together organisations across local communities to tackle violent crime and address its underlying causes.It also helps fund local projects that do positive preventative work with children and young people.The Home Office said it was providing funding to the areas worst affected by serious violence.A report by the Children Commissioner, Anne Longfield, warned that children are being recruited to criminal gangs during the pandemic.She said: “During the current lockdown, police report that away from the watchful eyes of teachers, bored and lonely children are increasingly at risk in parks and takeaways, with predators waiting to pounce.”During the course of the pandemic, it has also been reported that gangs have adapted to avoid detection, recruiting local children as runners and using taxis, often booked via apps, or hire vehicles.Read MoreNorth East MPs demand fair deal for students robbed of education by Covid”Children exploited locally are recruited by peers or using end to end encrypted mass market social media apps. While not a new phenomenon, it is one that, like remote working in our lives, has been accelerated during the pandemic.”Thousands of children are at risk of becoming involved in gang violence because they have been excluded from school or gone missing from care, she said.She added: “This number is likely to increase in the aftermath of the Covid pandemic, as the crisis has increased many of the risk factors of childhood vulnerability. Moreover, the pandemic has meant that the most vulnerable children are even harder to identify November saw a 12% drop in referrals to children’s services in spite of the increased risks it therefore seems likely that even more children at risk of exploitation are going undetected.”The Children Commissioner is a post created by Parliament to highlight issues affecting children.Home Secretary Priti Patel said: “Violence Reduction Units play a vital role in preventing young people from being dragged into the horrors of serious violence, and this funding will enable them to continue this crucial work.”I will continue to back our police with the resources and powers they need to cut crime and make your community safer.”Mark Burns Williamson, of the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners, said: “Robust police enforcement is important in bringing violent offenders to justice and protecting communities.”But when partners come together, recognising what can be achieved by adopting a wider public health approach, we can also address some of the longer term underlying issues and prevent violence in the first place with effective early intervention measures.”.