Annual Conference Family Focus – Young People, their Families and the Criminal Justice System St Giles Trust Children and Families Project London

St Giles Trust – CAFE Children and Families Project London

Workshop Format A presentation Questions and discussion, mainly focused on asking how we can deliver effectively to young offenders and their families with an integrated service No interpretive dance or role play

Who are St Giles Trust? Established in 1962 working with homeless people Since 2000 working with offenders in prisons and the community Changed to become a CJS organisation, now known for employing ex-offenders and Through the Gates services

The Peer Adviser Model Trained serving prisoners to support prison based housing workers Used NVQ 3 in Information, Advice and Guidance Started employing ex offenders in community projects Now 30% of staff are ex service users

London Café Background Asked by Barclays to set project up in Spring 2012 Followed success of the CAFE Project in Kent and the St Giles Trust SOS Project Aiming to offer a service that could make a significant difference to families in crisis, particularly those where the teenagers are offending

Overall aims To holistically support families, their teenagers involved in offending and their siblings To secure appropriate accommodation To engage all the services needed, and fill the gaps To reduce re-offending To break the cycle of poverty, unemployment and homelessness

Where we were SOS Gangs Project Ex-offender staff, mainly younger male Popular with Community Safety and Police Café Family Support Project in Kent Experienced and qualified staff, mainly female Popular with YOS and Childrens Services

Where we are going Café London A mix of experienced and qualified staff, male and female and some ex-offender Popular with a range of agencies Links to programmes like SFSC and NVR Engagement with the teenager around offending, with a worker who personally understands the issues, and support for the rest of the family, including siblings. This addresses immediate issues and delivers early intervention

Our approach Both practical and emotional support Positive relationships Good links with partners A bridge to mainstream and statutory services Use some group programmes

Family Programmes Work best when participants are supported Strengthening Families, Strengthening Communities (SFSC) Non- Violent Resistance (NVR)

Some stats 47 families worked with so far 87 children supported so far Entry into further training & jobs: 12 Accommodation found: 8 Accommodation saved: 4 School attendance improvement: 7 Number of cases with Social Services involvement: 12

The Future We have been re-funded Plans to embed delivery of parenting workshops – SFSC and NVR Move into new boroughs Look at evaluation

Questions for us all How do we get Children's Services to accept peer workers? How do we persuade people to fund this work? How might this type of project be evaluated? What would we measure?

Contacts Michelle Gill – Evan Jones –