Cabinet Member Report
Decision Maker:
Cabinet Member for Public Protection and Premises
Date:
23 June 2014
Classification:
General release
Title:
DIVERSIONARY SCHEME FOR 18-25 YEAR OLD
FEMALE OFFENDERS
Wards Affected:
All Wards
Policy Context:
Better City, Better Lives: A Safer, Healthier City. Safer
Westminster Partnership priority: Reducing
Reoffending
Financial Summary:
Financial implication to Westminster City Council of
£30,000.
Report of:
Adam Taylor, Head of Commissioning for Community
Safety
1.
Executive Summary
1.1
Westminster City Council has been asked to provide £30,000 of grant funding
from the Safer Westminster Partnership to ADVANCE Minerva, to contribute
towards match funding for a diversionary scheme with female young adult
offenders across the Tri-borough. ADVANCE Minerva has received £150,000
of grant funding and need to provide £90,000 of match funding, to
demonstrate partnership support to the programme. The overall funding is
contingent on them receiving match funding. This new programme of support
for young adults will enhance the support given to vulnerable female offenders
in Westminster, by providing a preventative approach when they first become
attention to the police, with the aim to divert them from the criminal justice
system before their offending becomes prolific. It is part of a national pilot
programme, testing out different approaches to working with young adults and
will be evaluated by Sheffield Hallam University. Support for this project will
mean that there will be a Tri-borough support service for female offenders
from end-to-end.
2.
Recommendation
2.1
That a grant of £30,000 to ADVANCE Minerva for diversionary work with
young female offenders between January 2014 and December 2016 be
approved.
3.
Reasons for Decision
3.1
To provide partnership support to a pilot scheme working with 18-25 year old
females who have been stopped by the police, arrested by the police, subject
to an anti-social behaviour order or are in police custody. The pilot will provide
benefits to the Council, as it strengthens the earlier preventative work with this
young and vulnerable age group, it builds on the custody referral support that
ADVANCE are providing to women who have been arrested, and it means that
there will now be a Tri-borough support service for female offenders from endto-end.
4.
Background
4.1
Female Tri-borough Reducing Reoffending Service
4.1.1 A separate female reoffending service has been commissioned for Tri-borough
female short sentenced prisoners, in recognition of the distinct needs of
female offenders and the different nature of the work required in helping
women to rehabilitate and reduce their offending. The contract was awarded to
ADVANCE Minerva who are also funded by the National Probation Service to
deliver an enhanced service for statutory female offenders (those receiving
over 12 month sentences and supervised by Probation) across the Triborough. They were also funded by RBKC for a pilot project for short
sentenced prisoners in 2013, resulting in very low re-offending rates for the
cohort. ADVANCE Minerva deliver support and advocacy for women offenders
and those involved in the justice system, that focus on prevention, provision,
protection and partnership working to address the root cause of their
offending. ADVANCE Minerva also runs domestic violence services across the
Tri-borough.
4.1.2 The contract was awarded in January 2014 and ADVANCE Minerva has been
gradually building up their client base, with 7 women currently on
theircaseload. The clients all have a long history of reoffending and so far
ADVANCE Minerva have made inroads by engaging with clients who were
previously not motivated to change and by increasing the length of time
between their offending.
4.2
Barrow Cadbury Trust 16-25 diversion scheme in police stations
4.2.1 ADVANCE Minerva has been successful in securing funding from a national
grant scheme for the Barrow Cadbury Trust’s Transition to Adulthood Pathway
Pilots. They have received funding for £150,000 over 3 years to provide a
scheme for 150 18-25 year old females in the Tri-borough area who have
been stopped by the police, arrested by the police, subject to an anti-social
behaviour order or are in police custody. ADVANCE Minerva key workers will
undertake an assessment of needs in a women-only environment and design
an intervention plan that is tailored to individual needs. Particular provision will
be available to address problems relating to mental health, abuse, alcohol and
drug issues, and life skills. Staff will deliver 20 training sessions for police
officers in the Tri-borough, to ensure that gender and equality issues are at the
forefront of police activities, addressing also the particular needs of young
adult women, and to ensure that referral procedures and information sharing
are efficient and effective. In some cases, where appropriate, voluntary
engagement with ADVANCE Minerva will be as an alternative to a formal
criminal justice sanction.
4.2.2 In their bid, ADVANCE Minerva had to demonstrate partnership commitment
and the Tri-borough Community Safety teams endorsed their bid, alongside
the Probation Service. The criteria for the Barrow Cadbury Trust’s grant
programme require a small amount of match funding to demonstrate
partnership commitment. ADVANCE Minerva have asked for £30,000 from
Westminster City Council (this would be £10,000 per year but they have asked
for it upfront in year 1 to give them time to fundraise in the second and third
year.)
4.2.3 The £150,000 grant funding and additional contribution from Westminster of
£30,000 would greatly benefit the Council and the Tri-borough Reducing
Reoffending service, as it strengthens the earlier preventative work with this
young and vulnerable age group, it builds on the custody referral support that
ADVANCE Minerva are providing to women who have been arrested, and it
means that there will now be a Tri-borough support service for female
offenders from end-to-end. It provides a great level of investment in the Triborough and will be part of a national evaluation led by Sheffield Hallam
University.
5.
Financial Implications
5.1
ADVANCE Minerva has secured £150,000 from the Barrow Cadbury Trust’s
Transition to Adulthood Alliance grant programme. They need £90,000 match
funding from partners in total and have asked Westminster City Council for
£30,000. ADVANCE have committed to fundraise the remaining £60,000.
5.2
The funding would be provided as a grant to ADVANCE Minerva. There are
sufficient funds within the Safer Westminster Partnership budget, which is set
aside to resource Safer Westminster Partnership priorities. This project falls
within the Reducing Reoffending priority.
5.3
An SLA will be put in place with ADVANCE Minerva. Commissioners will
receive performance reports from the Barrow Cadbury Trust and will receive
updates on the project at the monthly contract monitoring meetings held with
ADVANCE Minerva on the short sentenced prisoner programme.
5.4
Funding is available to cover the grant and will not create a risk or pressure on
current activities under taken by Crime Commissioning.
6.
Legal Implications
6.1
There are no particular legal implications arising from this report.
If you have any queries about this Report please contact: Alice Kavanagh,
Community Safety Commissioning Manager
BACKGROUND PAPERS
N/A
For completion by the Cabinet Member for Public Protection and Premises
Declaration of Interest
I have <no interest to declare / to declare an interest> in respect of this report
Signed:
Date:
NAME:
State nature of interest if any …………………………………………………………..……
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
(N.B: If you have an interest you should seek advice as to whether it is appropriate to make a
decision in relation to this matter)
For the reasons set out above, I agree the recommendation(s) in the report entitled
Diversionary Scheme for 18-25 Year Old Female Offenders and reject any
alternative options which are referred to but not recommended.
Signed ………………………………………………
Cabinet Member for Public Protection and Premises
Date …………………………………………………
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