Many children at risk of crime in a London borough suffered early exposure to domestic abuse, an absence of a parent and mental health issues, a study reveals today.
The report into 60 vulnerable children in Croydon also found that all 19 of the cohort who were excluded from primary school went on to get a criminal conviction.
The Croydon Safeguarding Children Board report was commissioned after three boys died in the borough in four weeks in 2017.
One, aged 16, was killed riding a moped with two others, a 15-year-old was stabbed and a boy of 17 died of a drug overdose.
All were known to children’s social care by the age of two.
The council’s review aimed to identify patterns in the 60 children’s experiences.
Five had suffered early deaths.
The report found 72 per cent had an absent father, 42 per cent were exposed to domestic abuse, 28 per cent suffered homelessness and 27 per cent the absence of a mother.
Seventy per cent had been referred to child mental health services.
Councillor Alisa Flemming said the community should “come together to support the remaining 55 young people”.
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