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Police Early Action Team

How we can help

The Police Early Action Team is part of West Yorkshire Police and works with children and young people who:

  • Have recently become involved in crime or anti-social behaviour

  • Are at risk of becoming involved in crime

  • May be at risk of going missing

We work directly with young people but alongside their families to provide support, guidance, and positive opportunities.

Early intervention and support

We offer tailored support to help young people make positive choices and reduce risks.

Short-term support may include one-to-one sessions covering topics such as:

  • Crime and its consequences

  • Cyber-crime

  • County lines

  • Healthy and appropriate relationships

  • Violence against women and girls

  • Knife crime

Positive activities

We deliver a range of activities that help young people build confidence, develop skills, and connect with others in a safe environment, including:

  • Football sessions

  • Girls' groups

  • Boxing sessions

  • Board games clubs

  • Summer holiday projects

  • Knife crime outreach programmes

Community engagement

We attend local events, schools, and Family Hubs to help children, young people, and families get to know their local police officers.

Activities may include:

  • Meeting police officers

  • Exploring police vehicles, including sounding the sirens!

  • Trying on uniforms

  • Learning about the role of the police in a fun and engaging way

Our aim is to help young people feel comfortable approaching police officers and to build positive relationships within the community.

Who do we work with?

We support families where a child or young person has recently become involved in, or may be at risk of becoming involved in, crime, anti-social behaviour, or going missing.

Our service typically works with children aged 11 and over. However, we welcome discussions about slightly younger children where there are emerging concerns and support may be needed.

How to refer

Referrals can be made by police colleagues and other professionals working with children and families. This is not limited to, but includes Lead Practitioners, Family Support Workers, Social Workers and children's care home staff.

To make a referral, discuss a young person who may need support, or find out more about the service, please email the team at bdeat@westyorkshire.police.uk.

If you think a child, young person or family would benefit from longer-term support from the team, please speak to your Early Help Coordinator after completing the Community Based Early Help Assessment.

Guidance on the assessment process along with other helpful resources, can be found in the Lead Practitioner Toolkit.

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