Queen's University and Education Authority launch new Centre to prevent child and youth exploitation before harm occurs

Across many communities, youth services are working in increasingly complex environments shaped by inequality, trauma, violence and other forms of harm. The Centre will bring together researchers, policymakers and frontline practitioners to strengthen prevention and early intervention, helping services respond more effectively to the needs of young people.

Richard Pengelly, Chief Executive of the Education Authority for Northern Ireland, said: "The launch of the Centre for Evidence-Based Youth Services is an exciting development and one we are proud to be central to. By bringing together research, data and the real-world experience of frontline practitioners, the Centre will help us understand far more clearly where youth violence and child exploitation are happening and, crucially, spot the warning signs earlier.

"That means better, faster support for the children and young people who need it most. It also means organisations working in this space will have stronger evidence to draw on when developing and refining their approaches, with quicker evaluation of what's actually making a difference on the ground.

"This is exactly the kind of joined-up thinking that can drive meaningful, lasting change for young people's lives."

Arlene Kee, Co-Director of the Centre and Director for Youth Services at the Education Authority for Northern Ireland, commented: "This partnership isn't about adding an academic layer on top of youth work, it's about deepening our understanding of it. It gives us a way to properly explore need, to test assumptions, and to build a stronger evidence base around what we see every day in practice."

Dr Colm Walsh, Co-Director of the Centre for Evidence-Based Youth Services at Queen's, said: "This marks a significant step in how the needs of young people in Northern Ireland are understood and how youth services are designed to address those needs.

"Our research shows that almost one in five adults in Northern Ireland experienced four or more significant adverse experiences during childhood. That threshold is commonly associated with significantly poorer life outcomes in adulthood, including mental ill-health, addiction, unemployment, homelessness, and involvement in violence, either as a victim or perpetrator.

"For too long, society has reacted to violence, trauma, and exploitation after harm occurs. This Centre exists to shift the focus upstream, using evidence to prevent harm before it happens."

Together, the Education Authority and Queen's will combine research, data and frontline expertise to better understand where youth violence and child exploitation are occurring, identify risks earlier, and support the development of practical solutions that improve outcomes for children and young people. The partnership will also support faster evaluation of programmes and interventions, helping organisations understand what works and respond more quickly to emerging challenges.

For more information visit Queens University Centre for Evidence-Based Youth Services.