In this month's edition...
Free Clinks membership
In recognition of the massive impact the pandemic has had on your financial sustainability, we are pleased to announce we are now offering voluntary organisations free Clinks membership - lasting until the end of March 2021. Both new and existing members can enjoy free membership during this time. We have been in touch with existing members to arrange refunds. If your organisation isn't already a Clinks member, join today to make the most of this offer. Voluntary organisations with annual income less than £100,000 can receive free membership until the end of March 2023. We are able to make this offer thanks to funding from the Garfield Weston Foundation. Find out more about membership and how to join Clinks here
Probation recovery moves to Step 3
Probation services have been given ministerial authorisation to move from Step 2 of the Probation Roadmap to Recovery to Step 3. The Roadmap to Recovery document sets out how the government will continue to deliver probation services as Covid-19 restrictions are relaxed. Authorisation being granted allows operational teams to consider at what pace progress can be made, given their own individual set of challenges around buildings, infrastructure, maintenance and staff resources. As such, rates of progression will vary depending on location. Due to local restrictions, teams may step backwards to Step 2 or even Step 1 when required. Read more about the Probation Roadmap to Recovery here
Clinks holds fourth Health and justice network event
Clinks held our fourth Health and justice network event this month, bringing together a range of voluntary sector organisations who deliver health and justice services to people in contact with the criminal justice system. These network events provide a space to discuss the impact that Covid-19 is having on service delivery, service users, and the financial impact on organisations. At the most recent meeting, a key issue discussed was inconsistency across different prisons with regards to PPE provision and social distancing, as well as communication from prisons on re-entrance. Some organisations found this inconsistency was concerning, especially for staff members who were themselves vulnerable to Covid-19. If you would like to attend the next health and justice network meeting, please email events@clinks.org.
Share your views about mental health information for people in prison
Mind is holding an event to explore the information needs of people who are in prison so that they can understand how best to meet these needs [20 October, online, free]. Mind’s Information Team provides mental health information for adults and young people. If you are a Clinks member with experience of working with people in prison, please join Mind to share your views about what mental health information you think would be helpful for the people you work with. If you are unable to attend the online event but would still like to share your views, you can do so using this survey here. Register for the session using the password MindClinks1020 here.
Clinks response to Women and Equalities Committee’s sub-inquiry
Clinks submitted additional evidence to the Women and Equalities Committee about the impact of Covid-19 on black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) people in the criminal justice system. Our evidence highlights the lack of transparency over the number of people in prison and under probation supervision from BAME communities who have tested positive for Covid-19; the impact of the heavily restricted regimes in prison on the mental health and wellbeing of BAME prisoners; and the lack of communication from the government with BAME-led voluntary organisations. Our response makes a number of recommendations including for clear action plans to be developed in the recovery planning process for prisons and probation on how the needs of BAME groups will be identified and met. Read it here
Clinks response on lessons from coronavirus
Clinks submitted evidence to the House of Lords Public Services Committee inquiry on lessons from coronavirus. The response focuses on the impacts of Covid-19 on the voluntary sector working in criminal justice, including the challenges faced in delivering services and the impact on the sustainability of the sector. We also highlight issues of historic underfunding in the criminal justice system which has affected the ability of services to respond to this crisis, damaged relationships between local partners and made communication and joint working with the voluntary sector more challenging. Our recommendations include for the government to make greater use of sustainable grant funding over contracts to enable the voluntary sector to play its full role in the aftermath of the pandemic. Read it here
Maximising positive mental health outcomes for people under probation supervision
HM Inspectorate of Probation has published an overview of research literature about barriers to maximising positive mental health outcomes for the probation population, together with practical suggestions for how to overcome these barriers. To maximise positive mental health outcomes, the paper considers improving health literacy, investing in research and evaluation, addressing the social determinants of health, improving GP access, increasing integration, improving access to data and training, and improving commissioning processes. Recommendations include all probation clients having their mental health assessed and recorded, clear pathways into services to be created between probation and mental health trusts, and those working in health and justice being aware of the potential exacerbation of mental health issues due to the impact of Covid-19. Read the full paper here
A justice system fit for the future
Nacro has published a policy briefing driven by the experiences of people that it supports through resettlement services, and the staff that support them. 52% of Nacro’s resettlement staff reported that due to Covid-19, it was more difficult for the prison leavers they work with to access basic essentials – such as food and toiletries. Staff and service users also reported that difficulties around communication caused stress and anxiety for people serving prison sentences and those leaving prison during the pandemic. Recommendations include specific supported accommodation schemes for vulnerable cohorts including women and those with mental health concerns, release packs containing basic essentials such as sufficient toiletries and basic food supplies, and improving in-cell technology to ensure that people can contact family even if locked down. Read more here
Short scrutiny visit aggregate report
HM Chief Inspector of Prisons has published a report summarising the findings of 35 short scrutiny visits undertaken by HM Inspectorate of Prisons from April-July 2020. The report finds that HM Prison and Probation Service and individual prisons responded swiftly to keep prisoners safe from Covid-19. However, as time progressed, inspections identified escalating levels of stress among many prisoners and evidence that wellbeing was being increasingly affected by the continuation of restrictions. With many vulnerable individuals usually benefiting from a range of specialist support services from external providers, restrictions and the absence of specialist support were extremely damaging. The report notes there is now a real risk of psychological decline among prisoners, which needs to be addressed urgently to avoid long-term damage to mental health and wellbeing. Read the report here
Independent Monitoring Boards annual national report
Independent Monitoring Boards (IMB) has published its annual national report, summarising the annual reports of IMBs in prisons in England and Wales between July 2019 and March 2020. The report states that a number of prisons saw an improvement in healthcare provision during this time, though mental health services continue to be under considerable pressure. It also found that there continue to be significant concerns about safety, with rises in both self-harm and violence in many prisons. Inter-departmental cooperation on health, housing and benefits was found to have improved considerably during the Covid-19 pandemic, and it was recommended that this should be a model for future working, not just a temporary crisis response. Read the full report here
Social prescribing explainer
The Making Every Adult Matter (MEAM) coalition has published a briefing on how people facing multiple disadvantage may benefit from social prescribing. Social prescribing stems from a view that the wider social determinants of health – such as environment, education, and employment – impact people’s physical and mental health. Social prescribing often works though a link worker putting people in touch with non-medical community support to help address health issues, such as physical activity, or financial advice and support. The briefing suggests that where social prescribing is co-produced, flexible and trauma-informed it could form part of a package of support for people experiencing multiple disadvantage. Read the explainer here
Clinks launches online evidence library
Clinks has launched a new online evidence library for the criminal justice voluntary sector. This resource aims to make it easy for voluntary sector organisations to access the most up-to-date evidence around what works in order to improve their practice and increase their chances of being commissioned. In the first article in the series, Dr Patrick Williams gives a concise, authoritative evidence review which provides an in-depth look at the growing rates of racial disparity in our criminal justice system. Find out more here
Disadvantaged people and communities
The Dulverton Trust is offering grants of up to £35,000 to support charities that benefit disadvantaged people and communities. The Trust has a particular interest in funding initiatives that work with people in contact with the criminal justice system – with a focus on rehabilitation, helping young homeless people, maintaining active living and independence for older people, and strengthening and supporting family relationships. More information is available here
Your key concerns about probation reforms
Jess Mullen, Director of Influence and Communications at Clinks, has written a blog to update the voluntary sector on the work we have been doing to influence government and support the sector around probation reform. We continue to work closely with the HM Prison and Probation Service probation review team, raising the voluntary sector’s concerns about its ability to engage with and deliver services as part of the new system. This includes concerns that the qualification process for the dynamic framework is complex and onerous and that the information provided on the e-sourcing portal and the way it is presented is hard to navigate. The risk from this is that fewer voluntary organisations will be able to deliver vital services under the dynamic framework. Read more here
Supporting older prisoners through Covid-19
In this guest blog, Liz Ropschitz, Recoop’s Buddy Training Manager, explains how prison Buddies have stepped up during the Covid-19 pandemic – working closely with health care and wing officers to support the most vulnerable prisoners. Since the outbreak of the pandemic, Buddies trained by Recoop have worked tirelessly. With extra training in the correct use of PPE when working with shielded individuals, delivered by Prison Care UK NHS staff, they have provided invaluable support. The HMP Dartmoor custodial manager praised their commitment, “They show patience, compassion and selflessness when looking after those in their care. It is a credit to the training they receive that they are equipped to carry out this challenging work to such a consistently high standard.” Read the blog here
How literature can be a lifeline to support mental health
Rachel Parker of The Reader in Liverpool has written a blog on how The Reader uses shared reading of literature to help improve mental health and resilience in settings including prisons, secure mental health units and the community. Almost 25 NHS Trusts, prisons and councils nationally commission Shared Reading, both as a form of preventative mental health support for people in the community and to deliver targeted work with those suffering more acute mental health challenges. Under Covid-19, newly curated ‘Life lines’ and ‘Reader Direct’ reading activity packs and newsletters are being distributed to mental health support services, prison units and wider partners across the UK. Specially recorded Shared Reading sessions are being broadcast over The National Prison radio network to 120 prisons nationally. Read more 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 2,428 subscribers.
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