Acknowledging that young people sent to Pupil Referral Units (PRUs) are more vulnerable to violence and exploitation by gangs, new research by University of Northampton (UON) aims to establish an evidence base to better support and protect young people.
Commissioned by the Bedfordshire Violence and Exploitation Prevention Partnership (VEPP), the research undertaken by the Institute for Public Safety, Crime and Justice (IPSCJ) will inform local multi-agency strategy, practice and commissioning.
IPSCJ Director, Professor Matthew Callender, said: “This is an important piece of research to create a shared and evidenced view of what is needed to reduce the risks of young people in PRUs of becoming drawn into violence and exploitation.
“Researching these risks isn’t about labelling children, it’s about understanding the systems around them so we can intervene earlier, fairer, and more effectively.
“IPSCJ is committed to supporting positive evidence-based change and we are delighted that this research will support the Bedfordshire VEPP to better support young people and prevent exploitation.”
The research found that ‘persistent disruptive behaviour’ was a leading reason for exclusion accounting for half of exclusions in Luton, over a third in Bedford and over a quarter in Central Bedfordshire.
Social, emotional and mental health needs were also prominent amongst the PRU and Youth Justice Cohorts, emphasising the importance of providing the right support and intervention at the right time.
Young people in PRUs told researchers that knife carrying, as a form of protection, was by no means uncommon and had been normalised. They described a level of acceptance of the existence of gangs and a sense of inevitability that some young people will be drawn into them.
The research emphasised the importance reducing exclusion and the need to reinforce joint working practices and procedures to ensure a coordinated response to the risks of violence and exploitation.
Bedfordshire VEPP Programme Manager Louisa Glynn, said: “The Government is right to make reducing exclusions a priority as part of the Schools White Paper, and this research provides a solid, evidence-based foundation for what works in Bedfordshire.
“What it reinforces, and what we already know from practice, is that behaviour is rarely the whole story. It is often a signal that a young person’s needs are not being met.
“The earlier we can identify that need and provide the right support around them, the better the outcomes.”
To find out more, a briefing paper, short, and full versions of the report are available on the University’s research platform.
To find out more about UON’s research, evaluation, insight and innovation in the fields of public safety, crime and justice, visit the IPSCJ webpage.
Or visit the Bedfordshire VEPP website to find out more about their work.