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

The Mayor's Office for Policing And Crime

This public procurement record has 3 releases in its history.

PlanningUpdate

11 Sep 2026 at 14:27

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
PlanningUpdate

10 Sep 2026 at 07:52

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

09 Sep 2026 at 11:53

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime, through London’s Violence Reduction Unit, intends to procure a pan-London tertiary violence reduction service for young people aged 11 to 25 affected by, or at significant risk of, entrenched violence, criminal exploitation, sexual exploitation and related harms. The service will provide intensive, flexible, relationship-based support, including dedicated practitioners, specialist advocacy and navigation, housing and accommodation support, mental health support, family support, education, employment and training pathways, transitional safeguarding, and support for girls and young women. It will combine a consistent London-wide offer with stronger delivery through local clusters and borough partnerships. Delivery will take place across London, in community settings that are accessible and comfortable for young people, with referral pathways involving safeguarding partners, community organisations and specialist services.

This procurement is at the planning stage and is an intention to procure, not an invitation to tender. The expected procurement is for services under the light-touch regime, with one planned lot and an open procedure indicated by the tender initiation. The indicative contract value is up to £11,493,534 excluding VAT. The buyer expects the initial contract to run from 1 June 2027 to 31 May 2029, with an option to extend to 31 May 2030; mobilisation is expected from March to May 2027. The buyer is holding a market-warming session on 22 September 2026 from 11.00 to 12.30 via Microsoft Teams. Engagement will help shape the final specification and procurement documents, and will not lead to a contract award.

The future requirement is likely to suit established charities, social enterprises, specialist health and social care providers, youth services and partnership-led organisations able to support vulnerable young people across London. Relevant capability includes trauma-informed practice, trusted relationship-building, intensive casework, safeguarding, advocacy, housing, mental health, education, employment and training support, SEND and neurodiversity expertise, family work, and culturally competent services. Providers should be able to engage young people who face barriers to mainstream services and sustain support through stabilisation, change and longer-term outcomes. Experience of transitional safeguarding for young adults aged 18 to 25, criminal and sexual exploitation, borough-level partnership working and county lines rescue or relocation would be particularly relevant. The buyer encourages partnership and consortium approaches combining core casework with specialist functions.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

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

Notice Description

London Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) Tertiary Service , formally known as Violence & Exploitation Support Service (VESS) Indicative Contract Value: Up to PS11,493,534 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.

Planning Information

The VRU will be holding a market warming session on: Tuesday 22nd September 2026, 11.00 - 12.30 pm via MS Teams. The VRU welcomes engagement from organisations with expertise in violence reduction, safeguarding, exploitation, housing, mental health, youth work, education, employment and training, and specialist services for girls and young women. Partnership and consortium approaches are encouraged. Market engagement activity will help inform the final specification and procurement documents. The VRU is particularly interested in approaches that strengthen local partnership working, improve access for high-risk young people, and demonstrate effective methods of sustaining engagement with complex cohorts. The Eventbrite link for the market warming session can be found here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2000156538048?aff=oddtdtcreator Please note that this exercise is in no way a call for competition and will not result in the award of a contract to any respondents to this notice.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06f57b
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/086471-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

85 - Health and social work services

CPV Codes

85000000 - Health and social work services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£11,493,534 £10M-£100M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
11 Sep 20264 days ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Jun 2027 - 31 May 2029 2-3 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planning
Lots Status
Planning
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
The Mayor's Office for Policing And Crime
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
LONDON
Postcode
SE1 0LL
Postcode Area
South East London
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLI London
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLI4 Inner London - East
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLI44 Lewisham and Southwark
Delivery Location
TLI London
Local Authority
Southwark
Electoral Ward
Borough & Bankside
Westminster Constituency
Bermondsey and Old Southwark

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts.

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