ENGAGE programme
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Watch a visit to a police custody centre to see how youth workers are supporting young people at the 'reachable moment' in their lives.
Total Investment: £5,325,000 over three years
ENGAGE is a custody-based intervention for under-18s to reach children and young people at a ‘reachable moment' to support access to statutory services and reduce the risk of reoffending.
ENGAGE is delivered in police custody and is a partnership involving local authority children’s services, the Met and NHS England which supports young people who may have various care needs and creates a wrap-around care intervention. The programme involves embedding youth workers in police custody to help support young people arrested in relation to violence offences. They work with the young person to help provide support and to provide access and connection to education, training and employment.
ENGAGE was initially set up in Camden to cover Holborn and Islington custody, but the VRU is investing further in the programme to expand to a four further Basic Command Units by December 2022, and an additional five BCUs by April 2023.