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Know the facts

Before you talk to your child about gangs, you'll need to make sure you know what you're talking about. It's important to understand why young people are drawn towards gangs in the first place, and you'll need to know what the law says. There's also a big difference between the fantasy of being in a gang and the reality, which may seem obvious to you but will not be so obvious to your child.

Click on the link below to find out more.

• Gangs and gang crime: the facts

Know the signs

There are a number of warning signs to look out for which could indicate that your child is involved with a gang. Things like a change of appearance, new slang words, new friends and even falling out with old friends could all be significant. Find out what to look out for by clicking the link the below.

• Involvement in gangs: what to look out for

What you can do

There are many things you can do to help prevent your child getting involved with a gang. The most important thing is to talk to and be open with your child, and be as involved in their life as possible. If you think your child is already in a gang, it may be harder to get them to talk about it but there are ways to approach the subject.

• Preventing and dealing with involvement in gangs

Advice for parents on gangs and gang crime - PDF version

The information contained on the above pages is also available in PDF format. To download the leaflet click on the link below.

• Download Gangs - You and your child (PDF, 1441K)

Useful contacts

• Parents contacts