Clinks Light Lunch | Issue 854 | 18 October 2024

Light lunch

In this issue...

CLINKS NEWS: Ongoing engagement on current challenges

In our latest blog, Clinks CEO Anne Fox provides an update on the organisation's work addressing key issues affecting the criminal justice voluntary sector. Ongoing difficulties include timely staff vetting for work in prisons and concerns over the Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS), which affects funding for smaller organisations. Anne emphasises Clinks’ engagement with statutory bodies to advocate for solutions and improve communication on commissioning activities. Clinks is committed to supporting voluntary organisations and welcomes input from the sector. If there are other issues you feel we aren’t keeping you up to date on, please drop us a line and we can add these updates into our blog and event schedule. Read the blog here

CLINKS NEWS: RR3 recruitment

Clinks are seeking a senior leader from the criminal justice voluntary sector to join an influential advisory group to government - The Reducing Reoffending Third Sector Advisory Group (RR3). This person will be a senior leader of a voluntary organisation led by and focused on racially minoritised people. They will have expertise in service delivery, policy, advocacy, advice and guidance, or other areas related to race in criminal justice settings.

Racially minoritised people are disproportionately represented at every stage of the criminal justice system. This seat acknowledges the critical importance of incorporating the experiences of racially minoritised people, as well as those of the specialist organisations that support them, in shaping the composition of this group.

The deadline for the role is Monday 18 November, 10am. Find more and apply here

CLINKS EVENT: Improve support for children with a parent in prison

Clinks is working with the Ministry of Justice to understand what improvments are required to support the estimated 192,912 children with a parent in prison. This Clinks Families Network workshop [5 November, 10:00 - 11:30, online, free].

Represent your organisation, share your experience, discuss best practice, and identify areas for improvement in support of these children. The Clinks Families Network seeks to strengthen the collective voice of organisations aiding families in the criminal justice system. Learn more about the workshop and register here

MEMBER FOCUS: Freedom Support Network

The primary purpose of the Freedom Support Network is to provide support to BAME women after release from prison; to help them reintegrate back into society. Support services such as counselling; coaching; training (personal development skills such as confidence; self-awareness workshops; back-to-employment skills,business acumen skills, etc); and advisory and sign-posting are provided to the women. BAME women face discrimination in many aspects of life; including employment; housing; and social support as well as throughout the justice system. This gender and racial bias can make it difficult to reintegrate into society and achieve stability. However; with Freedom Support Network programmes, the work delivered helps to improve the lives of service users, and improve their well-being. Find out more about Freedom Support Network here

CLINKS MEMBER’S NEWS: “Oh, brother, where art thou?”

There are around 400 children and young people held in a YOI in England and Wales at any one time, and most of them will have siblings. Despite this, there is very little research looking specifically at the impact on children and young people of having a brother or sister in the justice system, and there are very few resources for children in this situation.

As part of a wider programme around care for children in custody, the Prison Reform Trust is launching The Child Impact Assessment for children with a brother in the justice system, acknowledging that sibling relationships can vary enormously from family to family. Some children may not feel very close to their brother; for others, their brother may be like a father or a best friend. Find out more about this work by the Prison Reform Trust here

CLINKS MEMBER’S EVENT: Expert Voices - A fast track to injustice?

Join the Centre for Justice Innovation for this Expert Voices event that will explore the Single Justice Procedure and its impact on vulnerable people. Is this procedure a fast track to injustice?. Panel includes Jane Smith, Penelope Gibbs, and Andrew Nicholson, chaired by Kevin Sadler.
[23 October 2024, 12:30 - 13:30, Free] Find out more and sign up here

CLINKS MEMBER’S EVENT: Do you know what you’re missing? Uncovering opportunities for diversion

Join Transform Justice for this free webinar to learn how to identify missed opportunities for diversion in cases involving individuals with mental health issues or addiction. Featuring Professor Eddie Kane and Jonathan Ley.
[13 November 2024, 12:30 - 13:30, Free] Find out more and sign up here

CLINKS MEMBER’S TRAINING: Society Matters CIC training

Getting to Grips with Understanding Welfare Benefits
This concise training course offers a valuable introduction to the 16 current welfare benefits that continue to be claimed and unclaimed by millions of individuals. [5 November, Virtual Classroom, £69.00 + VAT] Sign up here

Get to Grips with Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
This training session will equip participants with knowledge and skills to guide clients through PIP assessments and increase their chances of securing full entitlement. [7 November, Virtual Classroom, £89.00 + VAT] Sign up here

Self Employment and Welfare Benefits
This course is designed to support individuals transitioning to self-employment while safeguarding financial support from welfare benefits. [13 November, Virtual Classroom, £89.00 + VAT] Sign up here

Disability Rights Workshop for Employers
Explore the steps to confront disability discrimination and the support needed to promote inclusivity in the workplace in this workshop for employers. [28 November, Virtual Classroom, £89.00 + VAT] Sign up here

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: Increased sentencing powers for magistrates

The Lord Chancellor has confirmed that magistrates will now have increased sentencing powers to impose up to 12-month sentences, addressing the current pressures on the prison system. This measure aims to divert less serious cases from Crown Courts, ensuring quicker resolutions and freeing up capacity for more complex cases. The move comes as part of the government’s efforts to manage the prison crisis while maintaining focus on public safety.
Read more here

REPORT: Drastic deterioration in Welsh prison safety

A recent report from Cardiff University's Wales Governance Centre has uncovered alarming statistics about the state of Welsh prisons:

  • 80% rise in prisoner-on-prisoner assaults last year
  • 69% increase in assaults on staff
  • 53% spike in self-harm incidents

The findings are particularly concerning for HMP Parc, which saw:

  • 109% increase in assaults on staff
  • 113% rise in self-harm incidents
  • 190% jump in self-harm incidents requiring hospital treatment

The report reveals a broader, systemic issue across Welsh prisons, with a record-high prisoner population of 5,034 and an increase in homelessness among those released. Read the Prisons and Sentencing in Wales 2023 Fact file here

OPPORTUNITY: Relational practice workshops

The University of Central Lancaster would like to invite professionals and experts by lived experience from Health, Education, Social Work/Care and Criminal Justice Sectors to share their views in a participatory workshop on relational practice. They are interested to explore definitions, key concepts, and common features of relational practice across a range of settings. Join in for an interactive workshop and have the opportunity to shape the research at UCLan.
For more information, e-mail Christina Roberts

CLINKS MEMBERS’ VACANCIES:

Reducing Reoffending Third Sector Advisory Group (RR3) – Organisations led by and focused on racially minoritised people Seat with Clinks [voluntary, part time]; Project Facilitator with Spurgeons [£13,016 - £15,180, Oasis Secure School, Sir Evelyn Road, Rochester, ME1 3YB, part time]; Female Senior Specialist Support Worker with Imagine Independence [£27,789, Eccles area of Salford, Greater Manchester, full time]; Women’s Specialist Trainer Caseworker with St Giles Trust [£23,000, Leeds, with some regional travel required, full time]; Financial Wellbeing Project Manager with St Giles Trust [£35,500, based in one of St Giles’ offices across Wales, full time]; West Mercia Youth Justice Caseworker with St Giles Trust [£23,000 - £25,500, Shropshire and Telford, full time]; West Mercia Youth Justice Caseworker with St Giles Trust [£23,000 - £25,500, Hereford & Worcester, full time]; Project Support Assistant - Care Leavers with NEPACS [£22,971, HMPYOI Deerbolt, full time]; Groupwork Development Officer (CFOE) Women’s Estates with Prison Advice and Care Trust (Pact) [£28,350, national with extensive travel across England and Wales, part time]; Senior Specialist Support Worker with Imagine Independence [£27,789, Padiham, full time].

For more information about these vacancies, and many more, click here

READS OF THE WEEK:

EXTRA INFORMATION:

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