Background
VESS provides holistic support to children and young people in London (up to the age of 25) impacted by violence and exploitation. The unifying vision is a future where all young Londoners, their families and communities – regardless of background – can thrive, live safely, and fulfil their potential, free from violence and exploitation. It is commissioned by London’s Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) and builds on three previous MOPAC-funded services: LGE, Empower, and Rescue & Response.
Effective safeguarding and protection of young Londoners can’t be done in silo. That’s why the service is being delivered by the first ever pan-London Alliance of organisations: Safer London, St Giles Trust, New Horizon Youth Centre, Anna Freud and the VRU. Through the Alliance, the service will be able to reach more young Londoners and their families affected by violence and exploitation than ever before. This joined-up approach we will provide the highest level of support, resulting in impactful and tangible positive outcomes for young Londoners.
- The service aims to provide comprehensive support to young Londoners tailored to their individual circumstances, ensuring they receive the right support – at the right time. It offers an integrated support model, drawing on the strengths of each Alliance partner, with a focus on four core themes – navigation, team support, safeguarding, and participation.
- Every young Londoner referred to the service will be assigned a trauma-informed caseworker, who provides dedicated and consistent support for as long as is needed. Consistent and reliable Alliance caseworkers take the time to build strong trusting relationships, working at a pace that works for each individual young Londoner.
- Central to the new service is the AMBIT (Adaptative Mentalization Based Integrative Treatment) “team-around-the-worker” principle. Across the Alliance, we have a diverse team of caseworkers and teams who specialise in a range of areas, including housing, family work, education, employment and training, support for young people with SEND, and bespoke provision for girls and young women. Caseworkers and young Londoners can access this range of expertise both directly and through consultation. This collaborative approach maximises support for children and young adults without them having to repeatedly share their stories or maintain multiple relationships with different professionals.
- The Alliance model enables the service to provide the highest level of support, resulting in impactful and tangible positive outcomes for young Londoners and their families. We aim to work alongside existing networks of support and develop meaningful referral pathways.
Areas of expertise
- County Lines ‘Rescues’: The ‘rescue’ team provides immediate assistance to young Londoners who have encountered authorities through suspected County Lines in areas outside of London. They carry out ‘rescues’ between 9am-10pm, 7 days a week, by collecting the young person by car and driving them back home to London. ‘Rescues’ are delivered by St Giles Trust.
- Housing and Resettlement Advocacy: Caseworkers work alongside young Londoners, raising awareness of their housing options, assisting them with applications and supporting them in settling in once they have moved to a new area. This support delivered by New Horizons Youth centre.
- Girls and Young Women: We understand girls and young women’s experiences of violence and exploitation are different to that of young men and boys. We have caseworkers who work specifically with girls and young women and understand the impact violence and trauma has on them.
Who is the service for?
Children and young people (up to the age of 25) who have issues that increase their vulnerability to violence and exploitation, including:
- Known or suspected involvement in county line or group violence activity
- Known or suspected association with others who are involved in county line or group violence activity
- Known risk indicators for sexual violence/sexual exploitation
- Engagement with the youth justice system
Alliance Partner – Local Authority Coordination
A complementary Local Authority delivery model will operate alongside VESS. This work is being led by the London Innovation and Improvement Alliance (LIIA), hosted at London Councils. LIIA work closely with the Alliance, Local Authorities, and other partners, with a focus on improving access to, and coordination of, support for children and young adults impacted by violence and exploitation in London. LIIA concentrate on three main areas: increasing awareness of support services and availability, improving and simplifying pathways to support, and improving information sharing and knowledge exchange. This will include identification of specific areas where improvement and best practice can support these outcomes.
Partners
