• AS a concerned parent, I write out of sadness and grief for the families of the victims and all those affected by the mindless and senseless knife crime and murders.

I reject accepting this as becoming “the norm”. I previously wrote asking “When is it going to end?” Now we need to ask, “How can we stop this?”

Closing down and making cut-backs to crucial youth, play, mental health and community services is having devastating consequences as we can see and feel, impacting heavily upon our young people.

Many have nowhere to go to develop social skills and engage with others outside of school or home. We need action.

Instead of building more jails, open up more youth-centred facilities, fund more social, health, and community events to help bring people together.

Fund more officers and the police to be better trained when dealing with diverse cultures, and allow the time for development and progression.

This devastating problem is not going to stop or go away overnight, but it is a problem that if we don’t implement long-term solutions we are going to lose a generation, people scared to go out, even to school, for fear they may not return.

We need to know and see that government, politicians, and local authorities are willing to invest long-term in our youth to restore confidence and help them build dreams – not live nightmares.

NELISSA MENDY
Camden