1. Introductions
The ISIS Women’s Centre is a community based service for women in Gloucestershire who are involved in the CJS or who may be at risk of becoming involved in the CJS.
ISIS is a Nelson Trust Service, initially funded by The Ministry of Justice

2. Background Nelson Trust Nelson Trust Women’s Services
Cabinet Office Social Exclusion Task Force – Short Study on Women Offenders 2009
Centre for Social Justice Award
Corston Report (2007)
The Nelson Trust provides specialist intervention for people with drug and alcohol addictions. Established in 1985, as a charity. It is based near Stroud, Gloucestershire.
The Nelson Trust provides residential treatment, resettlement and aftercare services. Offers an abstinence based programme of care supporting people through treatment all the way to full recovery.
4 treatment houses (41 beds), 4 resettlement houses (22 beds)
In 2004, the trust conducted research relating to the specialist needs of women accessing residential treatment. It was recognised that there were specific barriers facing women wanting to access residential treatment. For example, 75% of women wishing to access treatment were Mothers who were either unable or unwilling to place their children in temporary care with family members or Social Services.
The research also found that women had multiple and complex needs. Many of these women had experienced traumatic pasts, they had been victims of domestic abuse or experienced sexual abuse in their childhoods. They were therefore better suited to a gender specific programme which adopted a trauma informed therapeutic approach.
In response to these findings The Nelson Trust opened a new facility exclusively for female clients in May This was an 8 bed residential treatment house with a self contained flat which acts as a visiting facility for women with children.
In 2009, the work of The Nelson Trust was recognised by the Ministry of Justice, and in the Cabinet Office ‘Short Study on Women Offenders’ the trust was cited as an example of good practice when working with women offenders. The Nelson Trust also gained a national award from the Centre of Social Justice in 2009.
It was on this basis of successful working with female clients that The Nelson Trust was successful in developing the ISIS Women’s Service.
In order to highlight how this service came about I would like to tell you about The Corston Report (2007) and talk to you about the background to Women’s Community Centres.
Following the tragic deaths of 6 women in custody over a 13 month period the government commissioned a report which highlighted the particular vulnerabilities of women in prison. Baroness Corston visited women in prison and produced a report in 2007 which highlighted 43 recommendations for changes to the current provision to women involved in the CJS.
Baroness Corston found that many women were serving short sentences for minor non-violent crimes such as shoplifting. Many of these women were Mothers and as a result of these short prison sentences, theirs families lives were thrown into chaos. A high number of these women were primary care givers and as a result of their prison sentence their children had to go into temporary or even permanent care. As a result of their prison sentence the family home would be taken away, and at worst she would be released homeless and at best be provided with one bedroom accommodation. This creates a catch 22 situation, as she is often unable to get her children back due to inadequate accommodation and unable to get adequate accommodation because she no longer has her children in her care..
Baroness Cortson also found that many of these women had suffered domestic abuse or childhood sexual abuse. They had poor physical health and many had drug or alcohol addictions often as a result of their traumatic pasts.
Many of these women had mental health problems and had a history of suicide and self harm and many women were being held on remand, awaiting mental health assessments.
A high number of women and little or no education and many had significant financial difficulties.
Consequently these women did not feel in control of their lives and felt that they had little or no choices. It was clear that although they may appear noisy and brash at first sight, this was often simply to mask their lack of confidence and self esteem. These were vulnerable women presenting with complex and multiple needs.
As a result of these findings Baroness Corston made several recommendations and called for a distinct and different approch when working with women in the CJS.
She highlighted the need for specialist services to be developed for these women to help them address their needs to break the cycle of offending.
Corston suggested that custodial sentences for women should be reserved for serious and violent offenders who pose a threat to the public and that those women unlikely to receive a custodial sentence should not be remanded in custody
Corston proposed that effective community based alternatives to custody should be available for female offenders and that a network of women’s community centres should be developed based on a one stop shop approach to address the complex needs of women.

3. ISIS (Integrated Support & Information Services) 1 Brunswick Square, Gloucester, GL1 1UG
In response to The Corston Report The Ministry of Justice put funding into the development of women’s community centres across the country.
The Nelson Trust was successful in their bid to The Ministry of Justice to develop a women’s community project in Gloucester
This centre is ISIS women’s centre. ISIS stands for Integrated Information and Support Services and it offers support to women across Gloucestershire.
The centre is based in Brunswick Square.
Women receive one to one support across a range of issues which may be affecting them.
Access to in-house activities and services.

4. Aims & Objectives Prevention and Reduction of Offending
Women Focused Services – Gender Equality Duty
Partnership Working
Comprehensive response to 9 Pathways of need (Corston 2007)
The primary aim of ISIS is the prevention and reduction of offending.
We aim to divert women away form custody
To reduce women’s offending and to divert women away form the CJS.
We work in partnership with several other agencies in the county and we have strong support form the CJS in Gloucestershire.
ISIS offers a women focused service offering support across the 9 pathways of need as identified by the Corston Report.

5. Corston 9 Pathways of need
Accommodation
Debts, Benefits & Finances
Health including Mental Health
Drugs and Alcohol
Skills and Employment
Children, Families & Relationships
Attitudes, Thinking & Behaviour
Domestic Abuse, Rape and Sexual Abuse
Prostitution
Corston identified that there were nine pathways of need that could lead women into the CJS. She suggested that if a women presents with 2 or more of these unmet support needs then she may be at risk of becoming involved in the CJS.
At ISIS we identify each clients needs across these nine pathways and offer support according to these identified needs.
Accommodation
Many women who come to ISIS are either living in inadequate accommodation, are threatened with eviction or are homeless. We can offer the following support:
Referrals for supported housing
Accompany to Shelter for specialist advice or The Law Centre
Advocate for a woman if she needs to make a homeless application to the council
Supported referrals to Knightstone, tenancy support
Engage with women in prison who are due to be released NFA
Housing benefit applications
Assist with deposit bond scheme applications and rent in advance
Finance, Debt and Benefit
A high number of women have debts and are in significant financial difficulty. They may need assistance applying for benefits
Support to access specialist advice at CAB or law centre
Debt and Benefit advice drop in
Assistance opening a bank account (difficulty due to a lack of ID)
Apply for benefits, crisis loans, community care grants
Health
Many of these women have physical health concerns, e.g. Not registered with a doctor or a dentist.
Can support with GP and dentist registration
Promote physical health by exercise classes and we have a health trainer which is currently being trained, due to start at ISIS part time in September.
A high number present with Mental Health difficulties and we can support them to access specialist mental health services and we have in-house Mental health well being workshops and a specialist mental health worker based at The Nelson Trust.
Drug and Alcohol
Dr Williams, Consultant Addictions Psychiatrist holds a prescribing clinic at ISIS on a Wed morn. For women prescribed substitute medication for heroin addiction. Able to see Dr Williams at ISIS, access the creche and acts as a through the door incentive to access other services at ISIS.
Independence Trust hold a drop in and we are due to have an independence Trust worker seconded to ISIS from September. She will be able to provide specialist support and access to triaging in order to access tier 3 and 4 drug and alcohol services.
Substance misuse groups, psycho-educational workshops (relapse prevention and drug and alcohol awareness)
Family services offer family therapy to families with a substance misuse problem.
Skills and Employment
ETE drop in at ISIS with the ETE worker from The Nelson Trust. Offer specialist education and employment guidance.
Access college courses (e.g. Counselling skills at local college) and voluntary work
ROOTS
In-house educational courses such as IT Skills and literacy skills
Literacy Skills
Increase employability skills, CV writing, Interview techniques, support looking for jobs
A4E for women currently involved in CJS
Families, Children and Relationships
For women accessing ISIS who have families who also need support we offer supported referrals to Family Focus
Family Focus – multidimensional family therapy
Parenting Skills course
Creche
Support during social services meetings
Attitudes, Thinking and Behaviour
Psycho-educational courses which help address thinking patterns and behaviour which may lea to offending behaviour such as Crime and Its Impact.
Also courses such as self esteem building, anxiety management and anger management
Supporting victims of rape, abuse or domestic violence
Specialised DV drop in
Freedom Programme
Supported referrals into specialist DV agencies such as CARP and GDVSAP
SARC and Rape Crisis
Creation of Safety Plans
Representation at MARAC meetings
Women’s Safety Worker
Supporting Women who are/have been involved in Prostitution
Blood borne virus clinic at ISIS fortnightly.
Supported attendance at sexual health clinic
SARC
Exit planning from sex work
Developing an outreach service to sex workers in Gloucestershire in collaboration with the police

6. Service Delivery Model
First opened accepting referrals from all agencies in Gloucestershire. Due to demand on service had to change our SDM. Now only accept referrals from CJS agencies or drug and alcohol agencies unless woman has CURRENT involvement in CJS.
Referral received and client contacted to arrange an assessment. This involves a comprehensive assessment which identifies the woman’s individual needs across the 9 pathways.
Support plan developed
Intensive key working
Full access to timetabled activities
Support plan reviewed every 6 weeks
When support plan achieved continue to have access to ISIS timetable
Exited or step down supported referrals to other agencies

7. ISIS Programme Assessment of Need Support Plan & Timetable Reviews
Exit Plan

8. ISIS Programme of Activities
Therapeutic Groups:
Anxiety and Mindfulness
Self Esteem
Emotional Wellbeing
Anger Management and Assertiveness
Social Groups (engagement, confidence building, fun)
Art Attack
Cooking Skills
Lunch Club
Boxercise
Gardening
Educational Groups
OCN Drug and Alcohol Awareness
OCN Crime and it’s impact IT
Literacy Skills
Substance Misuse
Relapse Prevention
Drug and Alcohol Awareness NA
Independence Trust
Drop Ins
Debt and Benefit Advice
Domestic Abuse advice and guidance
CLARS
Knightstone
Keyworker Drop Ins
ETE
A4E

9. ISIS Crèche Children aged 0 – 8 years
We have a creche onsite for Children aged 0 – 8 years old. This is a fantastic resource for women with young children.

10. Partnership Services At ISIS
Prescribing Clinic (2gether Trust)
GPT Offender Manager
Knightstone
CLARS
Blood Bourne Virus Clinic
Freedom Programme
Independence Trust
2gether Trust – prescribing clinic and blood borne virus clinic
PROBATION
2 offender managers based part time at ISIS
WSW contract – Gloucestershire Probation Trust – men sentenced to the IDAP programme – partners and ex-partners are offered support from WSW
April developed FOSAR
DRRs
The Link Children’s Centre delivering the Freedom Programme
Independence Trust – secondment, drop in and talking about how a referral to ISIS can be incorporated into the Alcohol Arrest Referral Shceme (ARRS)
DIP team

11. Family Services At ISIS
Access to Family Focus
Parenting Skills Group
Family Therapy
Family Support Services
Family Focus
Multidimensional Family Therapy
Play Therapy
Couples Behavioural Therapy
Parenting Skills Group
Young Peoples Programme, Support Group (parental substance misuse)
Outreach Support
Carer’s Seminars weekends– people in close relationship with someone who is substance misusing
Parenting Support/Skills
Infobuzz – work in partnership, to provide support to young people who have been identified as at risk of engaging with substance misuse.

12. Supported Referrals with ISIS
Dental & Doctor Appointments
Shelter Accommodation Advice & Guidance
GDVSAP
As well as our in house activities and drop in’s we offer supported referrals to specialist agencies in the county.
Help to access primary care services Doctors and dentists

13. ISIS Outreach Home visits Court Appearances Prison Assessments
Mobility support
ISIS is aiming to work with some of the most difficult to engage with women in the county. Therefore we are always thinking of new and innovative ways of engaging and working with these women. This is where assertive outreach can very successful.
Firstly many of these women may have very low self esteem and confidence levels and sometimes just coming to the centre for the first time can present a huge challenge. It can be difficult accessing a new service and going somewhere unfamiliar, with unfamiliar faces and surroundings and this can be extremely anxiety provoking. Furthermore many of the women are coming from outside of Gloucester, from surrounding areas such as Stroud, Cheltenham and The Forest of Dean and have the added challenge of accessing public transport or coming to a town that they may not have been to in years.
Therefore, once a women has been referred to the centre I will offer to go out and meet her at a place of her choice. For example I can meet her in a local café or go out and see her in her own home, as long as there are no risk issues. I can then go and meet her on her terms, in familiar surroundings. I can then introduce myself and we can have a chat and tell her more about what ISIS has to offer and how we may be able to support her. The key is very much about building up a rapport with the woman, and helping her to feel at ease.
Sometimes this initial meeting is enough to reassure the woman and they are happy to come to the centre thereafter. Sometimes I may visit them two to three times before they come to the centre for the first time and I may even collect the woman and bring her to the centre, show her around and then take her home afterwards. This can break the barrier of nerves and anxiety of going somewhere new for the first time alone.
OUTREACH
Accompanying to appointments e.g. doctors, benefits,
Accompanying to court
Accompanying to social services meetings and case conferences

14. HMP Eastwood Park Prison in-reach Fortnightly on Friday afternoons
Service offered
Legal visit to complete assessment
Engagement during sentence
Gate pick-up
Support on day on release
Ongoing intensive 1-1 support
ISIS Women’s Centre provides in reach to HMP Eastwood Park fortnightly, on a Friday afternoon to women from the Gloucestershire area. Upon arrival the prison the ISIS outreach worker obtains a list of names of women from the Gloucestershire area. The outreach worker then goes onto the wings and talks to the women about ISIS and the ways that we may be able to support her. If the women is interested in accessing support from ISIS a legal visit will be booked in order to complete an assessment and a support plan so that we can start addressing her support needs even before she is released.#
Contact is maintained throughout her time at Eastwood Park to build rapport and a working relationship with the woman.

15. Contacts: ISIS Women’s Centre 01452 397690 Rose Mahon
Niki Gould
Case Study
Any Questions?