London Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) Tertiary Service , formally known as Violence & Exploitation Support Service (VESS)

London Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) Tertiary Service , formally known as Violence & Exploitation Support Service (VESS)

Indicative Contract Value: Up to £11,493,534 excl. VAT

Contract Duration: 1 June 2027 – 31 May 2029 with option to extend to 31 May 2030

This market warming session will be delivered jointly with the VRU's forthcoming Mayoral Youth Clubs Safety Programme. The two programmes form complementary elements of the VRU's tertiary violence reduction offer for young people affected by violence and exploitation. While the Mayoral Youth Clubs Safety Programme will provide specialist youth workers embedded across Mayoral youth club settings to identify risk, build trusted relationships and connect young people to support, the redesigned tertiary service will provide intensive, specialist and longer-term support for young people experiencing established, escalating, or entrenched violence and exploitation.

Together, these programmes aim to strengthen London's pathway of support for vulnerable young people through earlier identification, stronger partnership working and improved access to specialist interventions.

The London Violence Reduction Unit

The London Violence Reduction Unit (VRU), hosted within the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC), pioneers a partnership-based public health approach to tackling violence rooted in prevention and early intervention. Since 2019, the VRU has invested in over 550,000 targeted interventions for young people across London.

The VRU invests in interventions at critical moments to keep young people safe in and out of school and at the key touchpoints that influence a young person’s journey; early years and families, education, positive opportunities, youth work, and communities and place.

Project Background

The Violence and Exploitation Support Service (VESS), also known as The Safe Place, was launched in June 2024 to provide coordinated, holistic support for children, young people and families affected by violence and exploitation in London. The service provides specialist support for young people aged 11 to 25 affected by violence and exploitation through an alliance of organisations delivering housing support, advocacy, mentoring, mental health support and other specialist interventions. The current contract expires in June 2027.

Young people aged 11 to 25 living in London who are experiencing, or are at significant risk of, entrenched violence, criminal exploitation, sexual exploitation and related harms. Particular consideration will be given to young adults, young people with complex safeguarding needs, and those facing barriers to engagement with mainstream services.

Following stakeholder engagement, needs analysis and review of learning from current delivery, the VRU intends to procure a redesigned tertiary service focused on young people experiencing established, escalating or entrenched violence and exploitation. The future model reflects evidence highlighting the importance of trusted relationships, trauma informed practice, specialist support, and strong local partnerships.

Key themes emerging from this work include:

•The need for a clearer focus on young people experiencing entrenched violence and exploitation.

•Greater emphasis on trusted adult relationships and long-term support.

•Stronger transitional safeguarding support for young adults aged 18 to 25.

•Improved local partnership and borough-level integration.

•Enhanced specialist provisions around housing, mental health, education, employment and family support.

•Improved referral pathways and engagement approaches for young people who are least likely to access traditional services.

•Greater recognition of sexual exploitation alongside criminal exploitation.

•Increased focus on neurodiversity, inclusion, and cultural competence.

The redesigned service is expected to become the VRU's flagship tertiary intervention for young people at risk, and those experiencing the highest levels of vulnerability to violence and exploitation

Description of the Service

The future service will operate as a pan-London tertiary intervention with strengthened local delivery through cluster-based arrangements. It is expected to provide intensive, flexible and relationship-based support; specialist expertise in housing, mental health, education, employment and training; support for young adults aged 18 to 25; specialist responses for girls and young women; and improved pathways for criminal and sexual exploitation. A team-around-the-worker approach will support case workers with specialist advocates and navigators.

The service is expected to:

•Provide dedicated lead practitioners who build trusted relationships with young people.

•Deliver flexible, community-based support in locations that are accessible and comfortable for young people.

•Operate through a partnership model that combines core casework with specialist expertise.

•Strengthen local partnerships and referral pathways while maintaining a pan-London offer.

•Support young people through a long-term journey of engagement, stabilisation, change, and sustained outcomes.

•Embed trauma-informed practice, lived experience and cultural competence throughout service delivery.

Target Audience

Young people aged 11 to 25 living in London who are experiencing, or are at significant risk of, or currently entrenched in violence, criminal exploitation, sexual exploitation.

Scope of Delivery

The provider partnership will be expected to deliver a consistent pan-London service whilst maintaining strong local relationships with boroughs, safeguarding partners, community organisations and specialist services. Core elements are expected to include targeted referrals, intensive casework, housing support, family support, education and employment pathways, mental health navigation, support for neurodiverse young people, transitional safeguarding and county lines rescue capability.

Indicative Service Model

While the final specification has not yet been developed, current thinking suggests the service may include:

Core Specialist Casework

Dedicated Violence and Exploitation Practitioners providing intensive support and care for coordination for young people.

Specialist Pathways and Expertise

Potential specialist functions may include:

•Housing and accommodation support.

•Mental health and therapeutic support.

•Education, Employment and Training (EET).

•SEND and neurodiversity expertise.

•Family support.

•Support for girls and young women.

•Transitional safeguarding for young adults aged 18-25.

County Lines Rescue Function

The recommissioned service is expected to retain a county lines rescue and relocation capability, although the final model is currently under consideration.

Timeframe: The contract is expected to commence on 1 June 2027 following a mobilisation period from March to May 2027. The initial term will be two years with an option to extend for one additional year.