Violence Prevention Framework for Scotland (VPF) End of programme report

5. Conclusions

On its publication in 2023, the Violence Prevention Framework for Scotland set out, for the very first time, a comprehensive national programme of activity to prevent violence and reduce its impacts.

The activity recorded in this final update summarises the work which has been taken forward by partners over the last three years against the VPF’s 14 main Actions. This activity has been wide-ranging and has complemented Police Scotland’s own work in preventing violence and enforcing justice where necessary. It has also been supported by related activity across a wide range of key Scottish Government policies, including in relation to the Promise; reducing poverty and increasing equalities; and reducing the harms from alcohol and drugs.

Since 2023, the Scottish Government has invested a total of more than £6 million to support the implementation of the Framework over three years. This funding has not only supported the critical – and often very local and grassroots – activities recorded in this report but the organisations themselves.

While, as the Monitoring Framework has demonstrated, encouraging progress has been made over the longer term in relation to several critical measures of violence, there is still much more to be done to fully deliver on the vision set out in the Framework.

Again, working together with its partners, the Scottish Government will therefore take stock and consider next steps beyond this third and final, annual progress report. In the meantime, we will continue to focus our efforts on prevention and early intervention so that more communities across Scotland are safe and that more people live free from violence.