Action for Prisoners’ Families seminar
In it together: Supporting prisoners' and
offenders' families across agencies
18 October 2012
Birmingham
Presentation by Emma Checkley
Integrated Offender Management Team Walsall
Emma Checkley
CAF Coordinator
Integrated Offender Management Team
Walsall.
What is Integrated Offender Management
in Walsall?
•Housing
•Police
•Drug agencies
•Probation
•Children’s Services
•Community Mental Health
One Day One Conversation
ODOC
•Offenders are nominated and scored according to
the West Midlands Police CORVUS system.
•Offenders are allocated an Offender Manager
•Monthly ODOC meeting of partner agencies
•Information sharing across agencies
•Comprehensive management of the offender
Where does CAF fit in?
•What is CAF?
•Why is CAF relevant to the
management of high risk offenders?
•Who can complete a CAF?
‘Preventing and tackling crime and
reducing offending efficiently and
effectively.’
Police and Crime Commissioners
‘.......and protecting the
vulnerable.’
•Victoria Climbie was 8 years and 3months old
when she died.
•Victoria sustained 128 injuries to her body.
•Victoria was not hidden away, she was seen by
3 housing departments, 4 social services
departments, 2 police child protection teams, an
NSPCC centre and 2 Hospitals.
Lord Lamings report
•Agencies should identify a ‘common
language.’
•Identifying who they are concerned about.
•Why they are concerned
•What they are going to do about those
concerns.
So far we have part of
a puzzle!
Offenders & Children.
Case study.
Jim and Jackie have 4 children. Jack is 8, his brother Adam is 6
and the twins Alesha and Ruby are 3. Jim is a prolific burglar. He is
a heroin user, but often gets clean when in custody. Jim has had
many custodial sentences and all of the children have been born
when he is custody.
Jackie doesn’t work, she would like to attend a college course
when the twins go to school. The family live on her benefits.
Jack struggles at school, he has poor concentration and often gets
into fights. He says that he hates school. Adam is also struggling to
make friends. He likes routine. He is overweight and teased. They
hate the police and throw stones.
The home is in need of repair and the family are facing eviction
due to anti social behaviour.
Jim is due home next month after serving18months in custody.
‘He’s just like his dad.
By the time he is 16 he will be on drugs
He will be robbing old ladies too.’
‘This family are a nightmare, he will be back inside
before the years out, the kids are better off in care.’
‘This needs to be child protection, she always arguing
and fighting, she knows he’s no good and the kids are
just like him.’
‘Lock them up and throw away the key.’
What we did.
•Jim was nominated by the police to be managed by the
IOM team.
•Drugs workers liaised with the HMP drugs teams and a
plan was made from the first day of release.
•Housing inspected the home and maintenance work
began.
• A CAF was completed in the home, by a police officer and
a teacher.
•The CAF was taken into prison and partially completed
with Jim.
•The support workers from a local Children’s Centre made
contact with Jackie and supported her parenting.
Continued.........
•Probation discussed employment options and training
with Jim & Jackie.
•The children’s thoughts & feelings were done with
support.
•Positive activities were arranged for the whole family.
•Budgeting support and advice was arranged.
•1-1 support was offered to all members of the family.
•Police officers arranged supportive visits pre and post
release.
How we did it!
•Discussion at ODOC with all relevant agencies
•Tasks set with completion dates.
•A CAF was initiated to look at all of the issues surrounding Jim
and his family.
•School were informed and encouraged to think differently.
•A meeting was held in prison with all concerned and a plan made.
•Goals were set using the CAF
•Jim and Jackie became active participants in their family
plan. They were given responsibility for making positive
changes but with support.
• Jim and Jackie were listened too.
•The children were listened to.
•Jim and Jackie were supported in understanding the impact
of offending on the children.
The future for Jim and Jackie.
•Engagement with services means better oversight on Jim’s
activities.
•Jackie no longer feels on her own.
•Jim understands how the family function with out him and the
difficulties they face.
•Jackie and school realise how important it is to communicate
with Jim about the children.
•Jim now parents with Jackie
•The children feel safe and professionals are happy knowing
that the children are well cared for.
•A safety plan has been established
What have we learnt?
•Jim is not just an OFFENDER
•Jim has a history that has affected his future.
•Jim is a partner and a father
•Jackie didn’t know where to start in making positive changes
but was very capable.
•Jackie couldn’t cope with the children on her own, she had
never been taught how to parent.
•Adam had underlying reasons that affected his behaviour and
learning.
•The children were being bullied because their dad was in
prison.
•The boys were frightened of the dark and frightened of the
police.
The offender is often part of a much larger jigsaw
puzzle
The jigsaw would be incomplete without them
CAF and prisons.
•How can we minimise the impact on those left at home?
•How can we support parents in custody continue with their
role as a parent?
•Who are we punishing?
“The impact of a parent's imprisonment on a child, she
says, is similar to that of bereavement and the situation is
made worse because many feel they cannot reveal where
the parent is. "Sometimes young children blame
themselves, as if they have done something wrong, which
is why mummy or daddy has been taken away."
In 5 years what has changed?
•Bob the builder is no longer cool
•Iggle Piggle is nothing to do with them!
•Nobody watches power rangers anymore, its all
about Tracey Beaker.
•Super Dry isn’t a cycle on the machine
•Girls are no longer considered friends
•7pm bedtime is now when you have your hour on
facebook with your friends!
Walsall CAF/ IOM & Prisons
•Ensuring that when identified the family are contacted and offered
the support to maintain parental links.
•Schools and child care providers supported in communicating with
the parent via the prison resettlement teams.
•The prisoner given the support to voice any concerns about their
child and guided in communicating that effectively.
•Delivery of training from outside support agencies encourages better
engagement when released.
•Being a good parent focuses the mind away from offending.
•Hidden sentence training has been adapted to help fathers
understand what life is like for their children outside.
•Looked at issues that are relevant and current to their children.
Key points to consider
•Multi agency working is essential
•Communication between outside agencies
and prisons can be effective.
•The cycle of offending needs to be tackled
from many different angles.
•Use a holistic perspective when supporting
someone change direction. Refocus.
•The offender is part of a much bigger picture.
•Children will continue to love their parents
regardless of the wrong they may have done.
Contact information
Walsall Offender Management Team
01922 433286
Walsall CAF Duty Team
01922 658170
checkleye@walsall.gov.uk
Thank you