Kent and Medway VRU pioneers’ school-based approach to support vulnerable young people
Kent and Medway Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) is piloting an innovative school-based approach to support children and young people before their behaviour reaches a crisis point.
The VRU is one of the first violence reduction units in the country to take direct referrals from schools for Young Futures – a Home Office-funded pilot programme designed to provide early intervention for 10-17 year olds.
While other VRUs across the UK rely on police systems or missing persons reports, Kent and Medway VRU is working directly with two Gillingham schools – Robert Napier School and Brompton Academy – to identify young people who need support before problems escalate.
Young Futures targets young people who are "slipping through the cracks" and aren't receiving help elsewhere. This includes siblings of students who have been excluded or suspended, those who have experienced domestic abuse or adverse childhood experiences, and isolated students struggling to engage with peers.
Karen Sandland, Young Futures Coordinator at Kent and Medway VRU, said:
"We're reaching young people early, before their behaviour deteriorates. This could be the young person at the back of the classroom who won't speak to anybody or make friends.
"Each intervention is tailored to that individual – what is going to work for them. You can't measure prevention, but if this works and in five years, we see fewer young people becoming involved in violence, it will show the real value of early support."
The programme provides bespoke interventions tailored to each individual young person for up to 12 weeks. Support could range from therapy and CBT, to photography, football, boxing or even something as simple as a 6-month gym membership.
Kent and Medway VRU works with partners including Sports Connect, Sports on Your Doorstep, Kent Fire and Rescue Service, Paramount Foundation, Uprising, and Medway Council to create personalised packages of support.
So far, 25 referrals have been received since the programme started in September, with twelve young people currently actively participating in interventions.
The pilot is currently funded until 31 March 2026. For more information about Young Futures contact our team.
Kent VRU welcomes Joanne to the team
Joanne Robson joined as VRU co-ordinator in October 2025, having spent 27 years working for Kent Police in a variety of different roles. Most recently, she was a co-ordinator in the Intelligence Team, where she worked with well-established offenders and got to understand how offenders often find themselves on a particular pathway from an early age. Joanne is excited about working for the VRU because it provides an opportunity to make a positive difference, working with young people before they end up on pathways to repeat offending.
Joanne will be working in Maidstone, Sevenoaks and Swanley, Tonbridge and Malling, and Tunbridge Wells. She will be focussing her time on working with our valued partner, Catch 22 to engage with with young people involved in gangs and county lines and strengthening our partnership with Sports Connect, part of the Young Futures programme. Sports Connect aims to engage young people by providing them with sporting opportunities – whether that’s achieving a coaching qualification or attending free sessions.
Joanne said: “I’m really excited to connect young people with the support that’s out there for them – from the programmes we are running at VRU, to mental health support and mentoring services. I am looking forward to giving young people the tools they need to make positive life improvements, and finding inventive ways to engage.”
If you would like to understand more about how our VRU coordinators can support your organisation, please get in touch: vru.programme.delivery@kent.police.uk.
welcoming our new vru co-ordinator
Karen Sandland joined as VRU co-ordinator in October 2025, having previously worked with Kent Police as a Community Liaison Officer. Her background has given her plenty of operational experience of working with diverse communities and different cultures and she is looking forward to bringing this expertise to this more strategic role with the VRU.
With lived experience of growing up with challenges, Karen is particularly excited about the opportunity the VRU offers to support young people to make good decisions. Karen will be working across Dartford, Gravesham and Medway, and will currently be focussing her time on the government funded Young Futures project. This pilot project aims to reduce crime rates amongst 10- to 17-year-olds by offering a range of positive alternatives and will be rolled out wider if successful.
Karen said: “I’m feeling empowered to do good work and make a positive difference to young people. When I was a teenager, I was an active member of the Army Cadets, so I understand firsthand how structured activities and mentorship can help young people develop confidence and make positive choices.”
If you would like to understand more about how our VRU coordinators can support your organisation, please get in touch: vru.programme.delivery@kent.police.uk.
VRU's Knife Replacement Scheme Gains Recognition
Kent and Medway VRU has removed over 650 knives from vulnerable homes across the region, becoming the first police force in the country to implement the safer knife replacement scheme.
The initiative is based on world-first research from De Montfort University. It offers eligible families the opportunity to exchange sharp, pointed kitchen knives for safer, rounded-tip alternatives that have been scientifically proven not to penetrate fabric in a stabbing motion.
Since launching, the team has completed 150 knife swaps, making kitchens safer while maintaining functionality for everyday cooking tasks.
The rounded design makes the knives less attractive to young people wanting to remove them from the property or use them for violence. Additionally, having a single replacement knife allows parents to monitor it more closely and notice if it goes missing.
The success of the Kent and Medway approach has captured national attention, with the violence reduction co-ordinator, Caley Walden, presenting at this year's Safer Knives Conference, where she highlighted the scheme's impact:
"Our proactive approach to knife crime prevention has contributed to significant results, with the region recording a 17.4% reduction in knife crime in 2024," she said.
"While the knife replacement scheme forms part of a broader violence reduction strategy, its role in removing risk from vulnerable homes has been a key part of this success."
Kent and Medway VRU created the first standard operating procedure for police forces implementing such schemes and has established a national working group to support other regions. Five other areas are now trialling the approach following Kent's success.
For more information about the Safer Knife Replacement Scheme or to make a referral, contact the team via email: vru.programme.delivery@kent.police.uk
Activism against Gender-based Violence
25 November marks the beginning of 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence. This isn't just an awareness campaign - it's a call to action. At Kent and Medway Violence Reduction Unit, we're committed to creating safer communities through education, prevention and partnership.
Our director, Lizzie Jones, shares more in her blog.
Throughout my career, the safety of women and girls has always been an issue I am passionate about. My aim is that women and girls - no matter where they are, whether at school, work or out in their communities - feel safe.
Working in the Violence Reduction Unit, my team and I have a unique and powerful opportunity to prevent violence and educate and support children and young people. Through our links with communities and partners, we take a united approach to reduce violence against women and girls and make long-lasting change together.
We work collaboratively with schools to share healthy messages and behaviours early in children's and young people's lives, to prevent offending in the future. And we provide targeted support to individuals who have offended or are at risk of offending. When supporting these people, we take a public health approach and aim to understand the reasons why a person is acting in a certain way, so we can give them the best help possible.
This is why our two partnership programmes, HEART and Pol-Ed, are such a brilliant part of our violence reduction approach. Over 15,000 children across Kent and Medway have already benefitted from Pol-Ed - a free set of resources designed by teachers, for teachers. Each lesson addresses policing priority areas such as sexual violence, harassment and online safety in a way that is engaging and understandable.
The HEART programme is designed to support young people aged 14-17 who have caused harm to someone they are personally connected with (e.g., a partner or family member). The sessions address and change harmful thinking and behaviours, focusing on helping young people understand emotions, how they react to them, and how to develop healthier ways to respond.
If you would like to find out more about these programmes, please get in touch with us.
Staying safe in the digital age
This year's theme for 16 Days of Activism is ending digital violence. With many children and young people owning a smartphone, and with the recent Netflix series 'Adolescence', this is understandably a topic we're all aware of and concerned about. To help parents and carers, we have created a hidden meanings emoji guide which can aid open conversations and help understand what certain digital signs may mean. You can access it on our website.
Finally, the risk of violence towards women and girls may feel like an overwhelming problem to overcome, but we all have a role to play. Through programmes like HEART and Pol-Ed, we're equipping our communities with the tools to make a difference. By being active bystanders, we can create lasting change. If you see or think someone may be a victim of abuse, remember: any action, big or small, can change the path of someone's life. Together, we can make our communities safer for everyone.
Emojis - Hidden Meanings
Emojis are widely used across all ages in digital communication, adding humour and emphasis.
For young people, they can create a code to conceal true intentions from adults.
Whilst some meanings may be harmless, others can signal risks such as extremism, drugs, sexual interactions and bullying.
We have created a two page guide to help parents/carers and professionals.
Hospital duo who supported over 300 young people nominated for Team of the Year
A dedicated pair of hospital youth workers who supported 347 children and young people last year, helping break the cycle of violence and exploitation, have been nominated for Team of the Year in Medway Council's Make a Difference Awards 2025.
The mighty team of two, Sara and Zoe, lead the Reachable Moments Hospital Project, funded by Kent and Medway Violence Reduction Unit. Based in Kent and Medway’s Hospital emergency departments, they support young people aged 10-25 who present as victims of violence, exploitation, or with underlying trauma-related issues.
During these vulnerable moments, Sara and Zoe provide immediate support from the moment a young person arrives. While NHS staff focus on medical treatment, the pair ask questions about safety, home life, and wellbeing – building trust and understanding needs that might otherwise go unaddressed.
Sara Borges Clark, Senior Youth Development Worker, said:
"We are there to support young people, whatever that may look like. We work closely with NHS staff and ask the questions that they may not have the time for, building a trusting rapport so we can really understand what's happening in their lives.
“If a young person needs to stay in hospital, we will make regular visits to the ward too.”
The team's impact extends far beyond the hospital ward. Sara and Zoe also conduct follow-up visits in the community.
"We help them write CVs and prepare for job interviews. Hearing 'I've got the job' makes what we do worthwhile. That's when you know you've contributed to turning a young person's life around."
NHS staff at Medway Hospital praised the team's work:
"The Reachable Moments Team have an amazing impact on our work with young people in the children's emergency department. They support not just the young people but also nurses and doctors."
The Reachable Moments project is part of Kent and Medway Violence Reduction Unit’s work to prevent and reduce serious violence. The team makes referrals to social services, schools, police, and other agencies, ensuring young people receives support tailored to their needs.
Sara and Zoe will attend a black-tie award ceremony on 28 November at the Corn Exchange in Rochester, where they will discover if they have won.
Sara added: "We are very proud. We're a little team, but full of enthusiasm, and we love our jobs."
mizen foundation
In 2008, the day after his 16th birthday, Jimmy MIZEN was killed in an unprovoked attack by a young man with a history of violence and bullying. Jimmy’s parents, Barry and Margaret MIZEN, came to Kent last week to tell their story and encourage professionals and partners to work together to help our young people before their fear and anger becomes another violent incident with a tragic ending.
They are saying our young people need to be loved and supported, and we need to work together to achieve this. Their message of peace and restoration is very powerful and emotive.
We will be inviting them back to speak to more of our community and to continue to work with our partners.
We also want to say thanks to:
Kent County Council Social Connection for arranging this as part of our community conferencing commission
CH/SUPT Rob MARSH from Kent Police for the welcome introduction
Canterbury Academy and Royal Harbour Academy for hosting the events
We are #SaferTogether
2024 Child Criminal Exploitation and County Lines Awareness Campaign launch
Eyes Open - www.eyes-open.co.uk
Today (25 November) Kent & Medway Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) have launched the Eyes Open campaign co-developed with police forces in Greater Manchester, North Wales, Lancashire and Merseyside and the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit (NWROCU).
The campaign aims to raise awareness about child criminal exploitation and county lines.
As part of the launch, to help empower parents and carers to spot potential signs of child grooming and exploitation, Kent and Medway VRU have issued 11 types of behaviour to recognise the signs of exploitation.
The 11 types of behaviour to look out for are:
- Frequently missing from school or home
- Being found out of the area
- Returning home late
- Being late to school
- Changing friendship groups
- Mixing with older men or women
- Talking about people giving them free food, vapes, alcohol and cigarettes
- Having more than one mobile phone or many SIM cards
- Getting unexplained amounts of money, mobile phones, clothing, jewellery, new haircuts or other items and gifts
- Receiving excessive calls or messages from unknown adults or friends
- Getting picked up or dropped off in cars by unknown people
Some signs can resemble typical teenage behaviour, such as mood swings, secrecy, or changes in social circles. However, if parents and carers feel uneasy or notice unusual patterns that raise concern, it’s crucial to trust your instincts.
County lines refers to the networks used by gangs to distribute drugs from cities to smaller towns and rural areas. The Eyes Open campaign is dedicated to educating young people and their parents about the dangers of grooming, exploitation, and the deceptive tactics used by county lines gangs.
These operations rely heavily on the exploitation of children and young people, who are used to transport and sell drugs across different locations. Once the child is dependent on the gang, they are coerced into criminal activities, often with threats, violence and manipulation. Families and loved ones of the child are also threatened.
Each police force involved in the campaign carries out dedicated county lines operations to disrupt criminals and safeguard victims of exploitation. Nationally, more than 5,600 lines have been closed and 8,800 individuals referred by police to safeguarding since 2019. [1]
Gangs will groom children through gifts or a sense of belonging. New Eyes Open campaign resources also show how there is always a catch to these ‘free’ gifts such as designer clothes, vapes or expensive bikes.
Chief Inspector Lara Connor, Director for the Kent and Medway Violence Reduction Unit said, “Child criminal exploitation is a serious issue that can affect any child in any community. Across Kent and Medway we have seen gangs, often through gifts and false promises, and then exploiting them. The Violence Reduction Unit is committed to keeping children and adults safe from harm, and the Eyes Open campaign is crucial in educating and empowering children, parents and communities to recognise the signs of exploitation, and to know what to do to prevent it. If we all act together and challenge exploitation when we see it, we can create a safer future for everyone”.
Kent’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Matthew Scott says, “Protecting young people from exploitation is one of my priorities and the Eyes Open campaign is an important tool in safeguarding vulnerable children, because it raises awareness of the methods used by criminal gangs. I’m delighted to support it again.”
Kent & Medway VRU will be sharing resources across social media, digital channels, directly with partners and through educational workshops to reach young people and their parents and carers.
The Eyes Open website offers a hub of information for young people, parents and carers.
If you believe that someone may be being exploited in this way, you can give information 100% anonymously to Crimestoppers. Crimestoppers are not the police, they are a charity. Anonymous means your identity is completely unknown. If you think someone is in immediate danger, always dial 999.
NEW SAFE SPACE SCHEME RUNNING IN DOVER DISTRICT
Oct 2024
NEW SAFE SPACE SCHEME!
Young people and adults feeling unsafe or vulnerable can now seek refuge in ‘safe spaces’ in the district. Participating organisations, including shops, a library and community hub, have displayed a Safe Space sticker in their window and will provide a welcoming, safe environment for those who need it. This may be someone who feels scared, unwell, lost or unsafe, or has been a victim of crime when walking to or from school, for example.
The countywide scheme is being led by the Kent and Medway Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) and Dover District Council (DDC) is rolling it out locally. So far, a number of organisations have signed up to the scheme, including the Co-op stores in Deal, Sandwich and Aylesham, the Beehive in Dover, Deal Library and Linwood Family Hub in Deal. DDC is encouraging other premises to get on board and become part of the district’s Safe Spaces network.
Cllr Charlotte Zosseder, Cabinet Member for Community, said: “It’s encouraging to see shop owners and organisations getting involved in the Safe Spaces scheme. “People can feel safe in the knowledge they have somewhere to go if they are feeling scared, worried or unsafe while out and about in our towns and villages. “We also want to nurture independence within our young people and having that reassuring presence can really help. “I’d like to thank those venues already on board and hope we see more sign up.”
VRU Co-ordinator Caley Walden said: “The Kent and Medway Violence Reduction Unit is dedicated to ensuring our communities remain safe spaces for everyone. “By working closely with local councils, police, and community organisations, we aim to prevent violence through early intervention and proactive safety measures.
“Initiatives like the Safe Spaces project are integral to fostering environments where residents feel secure, whether in public spaces or local venues.”
Matt Pratley, Safety and Well-being Manager, Co-op, said: “Co-op is committed to operating at the heart of local life and nothing is more important to us than the safety of our colleagues, member-owners, customers and communities. “Anyone seeking a safe haven in their local Co-op will always be welcomed, encouraged to report their concerns and, above all, believed. “As a convenience retailer, our doors are open from early morning until late into the night, and we want people to know that Co-op is always a welcome light and safe haven for anyone who feels unsafe or in need of support.”
If you own a business and want to offer to help people by being a "SAFE SPACE" visit our website and get in touch.
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