In this month's edition...
- News
- Publications
- Funding
- Resources
- Extra information
Help raise the collective voice of the voluntary sector
There’s still time to take this year’s state of the sector survey. Our research provides vital evidence on the voluntary sector in criminal justice, the challenges you’re facing and the successes you’ve had. This year we’re also aiming to present standalone evidence on the women’s sector and the sector in Wales. For all voluntary organisations working in criminal justice it’s vital we hear from you so that we can advocate on your behalf, maximise opportunities for the sector, and provide the support that meets your needs. Make sure you take this opportunity to help influence key decision makers and raise the collective voice of the voluntary sector. The survey closes on 5th July. It takes just 15 minutes to complete, click here
Community sentence treatment requirement pilots
The government has announced the expansion of the Community Sentence Treatment Requirement (CSTR) programme to nine more courts and two new areas. Through CSTRs, courts are able to order mental health, drug or alcohol treatment as part of a community sentence. Clinks undertook focus groups and interviews with service users and voluntary sector practitioners to understand their views, which fed into the evaluation of the initial CSTR pilots. Find out more here
Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities
Communities Minister, Lord Bourne, has launched a national strategy to tackle entrenched inequality and improve the lives of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities. The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government will lead the national strategy and has provided £200,000 of funding shared between six projects aiming to improve outcomes in the areas of educational attainment, health and social integration. The department has additionally funded 22 projects that support Roma communities across England through the Controlling Migration Fund. There is also funding for two projects to improve the reporting of hate crime by Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities. Find out more here
Feedback on health and care
The Race Equality Foundation has been working with CQC on their Declare Your Care campaign, to encourage people from black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities to complain when care is not what it should be. People from BAME communities are less likely to complain about care. Reasons highlighted as to why people don’t feed back on their standard of care include not knowing who to raise it with (33%) and not wanting to be a ‘troublemaker’ (33%). Additionally, a third of people asked (37%) felt that nothing would be changed by speaking up. Find out more here
Learning disabilities mortality review
The Learning Disabilities Mortality Review has been published by NHS England. This annual review highlights inequalities, both in healthcare and system-wide, for people with a learning disability. The Valuing People Alliance has submitted a joint response to the review. You can view the response here
Co-occurring mental health and alcohol/drug use conditions
Clinks, in partnership with Revolving Doors, has published a capability framework to better equip services to meet the needs of people with co-occurring mental health and alcohol/drug use conditions. The framework has been developed in collaboration with Justine Trippier, Consultant Nurse at Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust, and Professor Liz Hughes, formerly at University of Huddersfield and now at University of Leeds, and Centre for E-learning at Coventry University. Find out more here
Inquiry into men and boys’ mental health
Clinks submitted evidence to the Women and Equalities Committee inquiry into the mental health of men and boys. The inquiry asked about the most pressing issues affecting men and boys’ mental health. Our response highlights that many individuals in contact with the criminal justice system experience poor mental health and that this can be exacerbated by a system ill-suited to provide them with the support they need. We further emphasised the vital role of voluntary organisations in supporting people’s mental health and wellbeing. Read the response here
The sector’s views on community sentence treatment requirements
As a member of the Health and Wellbeing Alliance, Clinks undertook focus groups and interviews with service users and voluntary sector practitioners to understand their views about Community Sentence Treatment Requirements (CSTRs). This work fed into the evaluation of the CSTR pilots. The focus groups explored individuals' experience and views of Community Sentence Treatment Requirements, their experience of engaging with mental health or substance misuse services and any perceived facilitators and barriers to them working well. Read the response here
Report on custody-community transitions
The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs has published its report on Custody-Community Transitions and submitted its recommendations to the Home Secretary. Clinks responded to the call for evidence last year. We are pleased to see many of the issues raised reflected in the recommendations. The report also calls on the Department of Work and Pensions to accelerate improvements to Universal Credit so that people can access it immediately on release. It is also recommended that services providing individualised support to prisoners in the run up to release and through community transition are extended. We are, however, disappointed not to see recommendations for improving information sharing and engagement by statutory services with voluntary services. Read the report here
People delivering care
The interim NHS People Plan, developed collaboratively with national leaders and partners, sets a vision for how people working in the NHS will be supported to deliver care and identifies the actions the NHS will take to help them. Read the Plan here
Public health approaches in policing
The College of Policing, along with Public Health England and Police and Health, has produced a discussion paper exploring public health approaches and policing. Public health approaches in policing supports the Policing Vision 2025, which talks about proactive preventative activity, working with partners to problem-solve, vulnerability, cohesive communities, improving data sharing, evidence-based practice and whole system approaches. Read the full discussion paper here
Homelessness, health and wellbeing, employability and education
Grants of up to £5,000 are available from the DWF Foundation. The foundation (established by DWF LLP multinational law firm) supports registered charities with an impact in one or more of the following areas –homelessness, health and wellbeing, employability and education. The foundation gives grants to initiatives that either tackle a specific community issue, help voluntary and community groups become more effective and efficient, encourage involvement in the community of those often excluded and enabling young people to develop skills for the benefit of the community. The application deadline is 31st July. Apply here
Film of the youth voice summit
In April 2019, the Young People’s Health Partnership (YPHP) collaborated with the NHS Youth Forum, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), iWill and the NHS to organise and run a youth voice summit. Young people from around the country met with senior leaders in the NHS to discuss implementation of the long term plan. A summary film of the summit has been co-produced by the Alder Hey Youth Forum and The Reporters’ Academy. Watch the film here
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About Clinks Health and justice bulletin
This regular bulletin provides Clinks members with the latest news for voluntary organisations involved in the health and care of people in the criminal justice system. It currently has 3,279 subscribers.
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