Vulnerabilities of Young People in Pupil Referral Units and links to Serious Violence and Exploitation – Insights Report

This report provides findings of a review, conducted by University of Northampton’s Institute for Public Safety, Crime and Justice (IPSCJ), that explored the vulnerabilities of young people in Pupil Referral Units (PRUs) in terms of their likelihood of becoming involved in serious violence and/or exploitation. It was commissioned by the Bedfordshire Violence and Exploitation Prevention Partnership (VEPP) to inform future multi-agency strategy, practice and commissioning. The review was conducted from October 2025-Feburary 2026 and began with desk-based research and secondary data analysis. This lead into three strands of primary data collection that were (1) interviews with relevant local key stakeholders involved with the PRU cohort (2) consultation with some young people within PRUs and (3) consultation with professionals from two Alternative Provision Specialist Taskforce pilot sites outside of the region to add to the local key stakeholder insight on what 'good looks like’ in terms of supporting young people in PRUs. The review resulted in a series of suggested areas of focus for the Bedfordshire VEPP including establishing a greater understanding, and addressing, of causal factors behind exclusions for ‘persistent disruptive behaviours’; assessing the early identification of and support available for children with Social, Emotional and Mental Health Needs and/or who have experienced trauma across the County; strengthening the availability and completeness of aggregate data on the SEND needs of excluded children and understanding differences in recorded needs of the PRU cohorts across the three Local Authorities. Other areas of focus related to the consideration of: i) the implications of an increasing population of females in the PRU cohort, ii) the strengthening of support for PRU students to prepare them for college or the working world and increasing aspirations, iii) what community assets are available to young people, and their accessibility both in terms of cost and geography and iv) whether the partnership can increase the awareness and “sight” of excluded children who are not necessarily in full time provision or have a reduced school day.