VRU Evidence Hub

This report provides a comprehensive needs assessment to better understand increasing concerns around Child/ Adolescent to Parent Violence and Abuse (CAPVA) and address the evidence gap regarding CAPVA in London.

The VRU’s custody-based interventions (Divert and Engage) sit outside of the criminal justice system. The programme embeds youth workers into police custody to support young people at a time of crisis. MOPAC Evidence and Insight Unit are delivering an impact evaluation of the Divert service.

The VRU's Hospital Based Youth Work programme provides clinically embedded youth workers to engage with young people impacted by violence or exploitation presenting at Major Trauma Centres and Accident & Emergency Departments across London. This midline evaluation of the programme was carried out by MOPAC Evidence & Insight, considering implementation and exploring practitioner and service user perceptions of the service.

The University of Bath were commissioned by London's Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) to research how to improve student' inclusion across London's schools. Research shows that to be included, students must feel a sense of school belonging. The report captures students' perspectives on what they need to feel a sense of belonging and safety in school, as well as views of education leaders, practitioners and parents. The research informed the development of our Inclusion Charter.

The Inclusive and Nurturing Schools (INS) programme seeks to reduce suspensions and exclusions by fostering a whole-school nurturing approach. This approach aims to build children and young people's social and emotional skills, resilience, and self-confidence by replicating early nurturing experiences. It also empowers school communities to address sexual harassment and gender-based violence through education, training, and guidance. The Anna Freud Centre is conducting a mixed-methods, realist process evaluation to explore how, why, and for whom the programme is effective.

IRIS (Identification and Referral to Improve Safety) is a GP based, domestic abuse training support and referral programme run in 8 London boroughs. This evaluation report explores implementation of the programme, with focus on the initial three boroughs to mobilise.

The London VRU funded Camden and Islington councils to jointly deliver a comprehensive package of support for parents and children at risk of experiencing violence. This included life-course approach programmes and interventions, primary to secondary school transition support, family support and online training. The process focused evaluation was undertaken by London Metropolitan University.

The VRU's Maia & Lift programme provides community-based safe spaces, mentoring and skills support for young women and girls aged between 9-25 years old. The programme developed practice-led approaches including trauma-informed, gender-informed, culturally-aware and strengths based. This report provides an evaluation of the pilot programme.

The VRU's Community Mental health and Emotional well-being support pilot supports marginalised and/or minoritised Parents, Carers and those with significant caring responsibilities (PCRs) of young people aged 11-24 years old. The pilot is delivered by Groundwork and Midaye across two boroughs; Southwark and the Kensington & Chelsea. This exploratory evaluation explores the process of implementation and emerging outcomes across the two sites.

The Pupil Referral Unit (PRU) and Alternative Provision (AP) Mentoring Programme provides one-to-one support for young people aged 11-18 years-old who have been excluded from secondary school or are at risk of exclusion.