Clinks Light Lunch | Issue 350 | 4th July 2014

  

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In this week's edition....
 

CLINKS REQUEST: Help us understand the impact of welfare reform and commissioning changes on your clients

If your organisation works directly with clients experiencing multiple needs we want to hear from you. We are surveying our contacts to try to understand how two policy areas, access to services (commissioning changes) and access to benefits (welfare changes), are impacting on those with multiple needs. The closing date for the survey is 11th July 2014. Take part here

CLINKS NEWS: improving outcomes for young Black and Muslim men

Clinks, working with BTEG, are supporting the Young Review into improving outcomes for young Black and Muslim men in the Criminal Justice System. This review led by Baroness Lola Young of Hornsey aims to explore sustainable and practical ways of addressing the disproportionate numbers and poorer outcomes faced in the Criminal Justice System by this group. Read Clinks' Senior Policy and Projects Officer Jess Mullen's blog on the review here

CLINKS PUBLICATION: navigating the health landscape

'Navigating the health landscape in England' is our new guide which provides an overview of the new commissioning landscape, explaining the roles of organisations with direct commissioning responsibilities as well as key organisations in a commissioning support role. It has been specifically developed for voluntary sector organisations working with offenders, and covers the commissioning arrangements in places of detention, as well as for offenders and ex-offenders in the community. It highlights where voluntary sector organisations working with offenders and their service users can influence health and care provision. Download the guide here

CLINKS PUBLICATION: rights and complaints procedures for health services

This resource provides guidance on what to do if your service user has not received the standard of healthcare to which they are entitled, and is for voluntary sector organisations working with offenders. It provides an overview of the rights to which every NHS service user is entitled (the NHS Constitution), regardless of whether they are in prison or in the community. These rights cover a broad range of services including primary care (such as GPs and dentists), secondary care (such as mental health services), and substance misuse services. Download it here

CLINKS RESPONSE: the impact of the theft offences guideline on women

Clinks have responded to the Sentencing Council’s consultation on the theft offences guideline. Our short response focusses on female offenders as the sentencing guidelines for theft offences are disproportionately likely to affect them. The response makes a series of recommendations relating to culpability, as well as highlighting aggravating and mitigating factors for these offences. Our response can be downloaded here

CLINKS MEMBER'S NEWS: empowering women

Women in Prison have issued a call to action to 'Empower women, resist injustice and transform lives'. Speaking out in support of the initiative, Davina James-Hanman, Director of Ava, said: "We have wasted too much money and too many lives. It's time for a radical rethink and a system that really delivers justice for all of us." Liz Hogarth said: "At last – a real chance to escape the bonds of the criminal justice ‘silo’ debates on what needs to be done ‘to’ and ‘for’ women to change their lives and ameliorate the impact of the harms experienced. It is surely time to shift the focus: to challenge and change the structural inequalities that constrain and damage women’s lives, preventing those harms and negative outcomes in the first place." To read the full call to action and offer your support, click here

CLINKS MEMBER'S NEWS: awards for criminal justice staff in the North East

The annual NEPACS awards presented probation, prison officers and others who work with offenders from across the North East with awards for their efforts to support rehabilitation and reduce re-offending. Helen Attewell, chief executive of NEPACS, said: “Many of the people held in our prisons, or who are supervised in the community, have experienced multiple problems in their lives. Many have addictions, have experienced homelessness, suffer poor mental health, or have themselves been victims of violent or sexual crime. These awards pay tribute to those dedicated professionals who work hard to support people to make changes and lead a crime free life. The Criminal Justice System is going through major changes at the moment, leaving some professionals feeling insecure and de-motivated. I hope that these awards will help remind them and the wider public of what a crucial job they do, and how greatly we value their contribution to society.” Find out more about NEPACS and the awards here

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: fact sheets for the Criminal Justice and Courts Bill

The Criminal Justice and Courts Bill was introduced into the House of Commons on 5th February 2014. The Ministry of Justice have produced fact sheets to accompany the bill. View and download them here 

COMMISSIONING: help offenders into mainstream employment

NOMS Co-Financing Organisation (CFO) requires expressions of interest for its forthcoming ESF Operational Programme 2014-2020. The focus of NOMS CFO is to help offenders move towards mainstream provision or into employment by addressing their barriers to work through facilitating access to comprehensive support mechanisms appropriate to their individual circumstance and assessed need. On their website they have published presentations from briefing events they held in June, and also published a list of organisations who have expressed an interest to date. Find out more here

FUNDING: community safety in Wiltshire

The next round of applications for the Wiltshire PCC fund are now being taken. The fund supports local groups to address crime and anti-social behaviour, and improve personal and community security. They are particularly keen to support projects which seek to bring communities together to tackle local issues, improving trust and understanding, and which offer a new or innovative approach. The next closing date for applications is the 29th August 2014. Find out more and apply here 

FUNDING: for groups unable to secure funding

The Edge Fund is currently accepting applications from communities, campaign groups and activists in the UK that are working for social, economic and environmental justice and have not been able to find funding from other sources. Groups should be: facing discrimination and injustice because of their class, ability, gender, race, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, or other factors – those who are actively working to challenge these injustices and to create just and healthy communities; working for systemic change – those who seek to dismantle and replace the structures and processes that create oppression, inequality and environmental destruction. Priority will be given to grassroots or unfunded groups. The deadline for applications is 8th September. Find out more and apply here 

FUNDING: for individuals with an idea who can't get funding

The Edge Fund is offering grants of up to £1,000 available to individuals who face challenges because of their personal circumstances or background and have a real passion for justice and can demonstrate a clear commitment to taking action. The deadline for applications is 8th September. Find out more and apply here

FUNDING: getting young people into training and employment

Jointly funded between the Cabinet Office, the Department for Work and Pensions and the Ministry of Justice, the £16m Youth Engagement Fund will help disadvantaged young people aged 14 to 17 to participate and succeed in education or training, improving their employability, reducing their long term dependency on benefits, and reducing their likelihood of offending. The fund will open in early July and will be accompanied by bidder information events. In the meantime they are encouraging you to start conversations with potential partners in your area. Full details can be found in the prospectus here

CLINKS MEMBER'S EVENT: Can revenge work?

The fifth conversation in The Forgiveness Project’s 10th anniversary series [14th July, London, £11] will explore whether the act of revenge can bring both closure and true justice. The discussion will include Natalia Aggiano, whose mother was murdered by her father and Robin Shohet, a psychotherapist and author who has organised two conferences on forgiveness and has written extensively on the subject. Speaking alongside them will be Virginia Ironside, a columnist and author who writes the Dilemmas column for The Independent. The conversation will be led by Marina Cantacuzino, The Forgiveness Project’s founder and director. Find out more and book your place here 

OFFENDER HEALTH: short survey on the Care Act reforms

The Department of Health has launched a consultation to seek views on how local authorities should deliver the care and support reforms in the 2014 Care Act. As part of the reforms, the Act establishes that the local authority in which a prison, approved premises or bail accommodation is based will be responsible for assessing and meeting the care and support needs of the offenders residing there. The Department of Health has published draft guidance on this area and is seeking responses to four questions as part of the consultation, which is open until 15th August. Read the draft guidance, and take part, here. Clinks is currently considering whether to submit a response; please contact Nicola Drinkwater, Clinks’ Policy Officer if you have any comments regarding the consultation.

OFFENDER HEALTH: latest policy update

The Ministry of Justice's Justice Policy Group has prepared its May 2014 policy update report which includes sections on 'Offender Health' and 'Older Prisoners and Disabilities'. Short updates are given on: substance misuse initiatives; drug appointments and drug testing licence conditions; testing through the gate substance misuse processes; liaison and diversion; the Care Bill; statutory guidance; high dependency prisoners group; and autism. Download the policy update here

RESOURCE: updating your DBS subscription

It is a year since the Disclosure and Barring Service's (DBS) Update Service was launched and it has reached over 180,000 customers, with over 200,000 status checks on individuals' DBS certificates. New guidance is available on how to renew your Update Service subscription after 12 months if you have already joined up. Find out more here 

RESOURCE: liability guide for trustees

The 'Trustee Liability Guide' presents a simple tabular format to the legal liabilities involved in being a trustee or management committee member of an organisation (no matter how informal). Download it here

RESOURCE: new donations platform for small charities

The Charities Aid Foundation has launched a platform that will help remove the administrative burden for small and medium charities of processing donations, on and offline, and make it easy to accept regular, or one-off, donations by Direct Debit. Previous research had shown that a very high proportion of charities weren't able to accept Direct Debits, a service which has been seen to be costly to set up. Find out more here [Source: VolResource No. 620]

PUBLICATION: a co-ordinated approach to crime reduction

'Crime reduction policies: a co-ordinated approach?' is a Justice Select Committee report, based on an inquiry involving oral evidence from numerous criminal justice experts and Light Lunch readers. The report asks: What is the Government's approach to cutting crime? To what extent is the approach taken cross-departmental, and how are resources allocated and targeted? How reliable is the evidence on which these policies are based? What impact have recent spending reductions had on the implementation of crime reduction policies, and the way in which resources for crime reduction are channelled at a local level? What contribution do existing sentencing, prison and probation policies make to the reduction of crime? How cost-effective and sustainable are the Government's strategies for punishment and reform and their proposals for Transforming Rehabilitation? Read the report here

PUBLICATION: Probation Inspectorate publishes Annual Report

HM Inspectorate of Probation has published its Annual Report for 2013-2014, which reflects on the previous year, whilst setting out some of the challenges to come. In his Foreword, HM Chief Inspector of Probation Paul McDowell focusses on Transforming Rehabilitation: "Like all significant change programmes the transitional phase of Transforming Rehabilitation carries inevitable heightened risk. Therefore this year we will pay particular attention to providing assurance around the interface between National Probation Service and Community Rehabilitation Companies. Through our inspections HMI Probation will seek to facilitate effective practice in probation and youth offending services, with a sharp focus on seeking assurance, celebrating and disseminating best practice and challenging poor practice." Download the report here

OPPORTUNITY: holding NHS England to account

A Chair and eleven members are being recruited for London Patients Voice (LPV), a 12 month pilot of an external patient and public scrutiny function. LPV will hold NHS England (London Region) to account for how it meets its statutory participation obligations in commissioning a range of health services across London, including Health in the Justice System. The closing date is midday on 16th July. Download the information pack here

CLINKS MEMBERS' VACANCIES

Member vacancies this week include: a Senior Administrator with Thames Valley Partnership [Chilton], a DART Psychological Team Leader with CRI [HMP Ford], a Housing Support Assistant with Foundation [Bradford], a Student Support Worker with Clean Break [London], a Prison Group Work Facilitator with Lifeline Projects [HMP Leeds/HMP Wealstun], a Corporate Partnership Manager with St Giles Trust [London], a Programme Manager [Manchester] and a Programme Manager [Kent, Sussex, Surrey] and an Assistant Programme Manager [Manchester] with User Voice, a Resettlement Project Worker at Nacro [London], a Data Analyst with Project Oracle [London], and a National Criminal Justice Development Manager with Together: For Mental Wellbeing [Flexible]. For more information about these vacancies, and many more, click here

TIPS OF THE WEEK

  • Tip of the week I: Get half price tickets to 'The play that goes wrong' at Leeds Grand Theatre. Details
  • Tip of the week II: Get free tickets to the V Delicious vegetarian, allergy and free from show at London Olympia. Details
  • Tip of the week III: Get 40% off overnight stays at The Lincoln Hotel. For £99 two people can enjoy breakfast, £40 off their dinner bill, and a glass of champagne. Details

EXTRA INFORMATION

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Joe Gardham

Clinks

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