Annual Report - Community Payback 2021-22
North Lanarkshire Council · 22 November 2022
Back to Education, Children and Families Committee — 22 November 2022 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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Annual Report – Community Payback 2021/22 North Lanarkshire Council Report Does this report require to be approved? ☒ Yes ☐ No Ref AL/AG/GR Date 22/11/22 From Alison Gordon, Head of Children Families & Justice Social Work Services E-mail Gordonal@northlan.gov.uk Telephone 01698 332001 Executive Summary The purpose of this report is to advise the Committee on the annual Community Payback report for the fiscal year 2021 – 2022. Section 227ZM of the Criminal (Procedure) Scotland Act 1995 places a duty on local authorities to prepare an annual report outlining the operation of Community Payback Orders (CPOs) which requires to be submitted both to Scottish Government and Community Justice Scotland. The report, attached as Appendix 1, provides an overview of service delivery, key issues and outcomes relating to the delivery of Community Payback during this period and information on the on impact, both with respect to individuals who are subject to CPO orders and our local community. Over this reporting period, service delivery has required to adapt in response to restrictions arising from the COVID 19 pandemic and to support recovery and address the resulting backlog within the wider justice system. Whilst the work described within the report is part of the core statutory role of justice social work services as such is not part of a specific Programme of Work, it supports the wider ambitions of the Plan for North Lanarkshire. The report is therefore provided to support oversight of this key area of service delivery. Recommendations It is recommended the Education and Families Committee: (i) Consider this report and endorse the approach to service delivery outined. The Plan for North Lanarkshire Priority All priorities Ambition statement (14) Ensure the highest standards of public protection Education, Children & Families Committee
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1. Background 1.1 Community Payback Orders were initially introduced in 2011 and provide an alternative to custody with the intention of ensuring that people who are convicted of offences make restitution to the community and engage in services which support their rehabilitation and social inclusion. 1.2 The full report which is attached provides detailed information about the scale and scope of the activities and developments in place for those made subject by the Court to a Community Payback Order. It also outlines the range of the opportunities for unpaid work with the North Lanarkshire Council area. 2. Report 2.1 During the fiscal year 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2022 the national health and safety restrictions and emergency legislation that was in place to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic impacted significantly on this area of service delivery in particular with respect to the unpaid work element of CPOs. Restorative Justice staff responded innovatively to the challenges presented by the pandemic and maintained statutory Community Payback responsibilities when appropriate and safe to do so. 2.2 During the Covid-19 pandemic a Red/Amber/Green (RAG) risk management system was maintained and reviewed by managers on a weekly basis. This ensured that those presenting the highest risk, the most vulnerable or unstable services users received a significant level of contact by telephone, virtually or through face to face home visits. 2.3 A significant outcome of contingency and recovery planning was the introduction of an increased opportunity for unpaid work to be completed within an individual’s home environment. This initiative enabled a significant number of Community Payback Orders to be successfully completed without the need to request extensions to an already strained Court Service. Consequently, North Lanarkshire Council’s backlog of unpaid work hours was, and continues to be consistently reduced. 2.4 In total 53,464 unpaid work hours were undertaken over this period. The unpaid hours carried out were achieved through a combination of single placements, squad placements, home working and other activity, all with the aim of benefiting local communities. 2.5 Example, Bike Workshop: The Restorative Justice bicycle workshop continued to provide bikes to North Lanarkshire Council residents. Over 203 bicycles were distributed without cost. A biproduct of this was the assistance and support it gave to individuals in terms of the potential to maximise their health and wellbeing. 2.6 Discarded bicycles continued to be recovered from the local recycling centre and refurbished to a gold standard prior to distribution. In addition, the service has given help to local communities by offering bike maintenance and repair. These unpaid work projects have particularly assisted those children, young people, and families who are unable to afford the cost of a bike or its repair. Bikes have also been given to victims of bike theft, particularly those who had no insurance or the financial means to replace the stolen item. In total 1075 hours of hours of unpaid work has been completed under this scheme.
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2.7 During this reporting period a further 4 Restorative Justice supervisors have been trained on bike maintenance and repair. An investment that will not only secure the ongoing viability of the bicycle workshop but will also ensure the service continues to contribute and support the health and wellbeing of our wider community. 2.8 Other Examples of the variety of other unpaid work projects completed in North Lanarkshire during the reporting period are as follows: • Within the wood Workshop service users made items for various community groups, such as outdoor classrooms and activity equipment for schools, and planters for sheltered housing complexes. The laundry workshops continued to work in partnership with the local school uniform banks and the Diamonds in the Community charity. This involved the collection, laundering, drying, and ironing of donated school uniforms, prior to their distribution to charities or individual families experiencing material poverty. • Craft items were made within our activity group, and these were donated to local organisations or sold at craft fayres with the money raised donated to local charities. • Squad placements within the local community included landscaping, groundwork, and small building projects. • Private placements took place in an array of settings including local churches, allotments, sheltered housing complexes and charity shops • Home working continued to be used alongside community projects for those completing unpaid work. The following items are examples of the objects made and distributed. 154 rags to rugs were donated to the SSPCA, Food banks and the Dogs Trust 236 Bird and Bat boxes were made and provided to local communities. 153 positive mental health and eco environmental and anti-bullying plaques were made and displayed in prominent places. 2.9 Communities within North Lanarkshire have also benefited from unpaid work as detailed below: • Snow clearance and the gritting of pathways for access during inclement weather. • The collection and distribution of food parcels, store vouchers and toys to vulnerable families throughout the fiscal year of 2021 - 2022. • Litter picking in local areas across North Lanarkshire. • Maintenance of allotments in Wishaw and Coatbridge with produce distributed to people in need across the authority. 2.10 Offence Focused Work Interventions have taken place on a one-to-one basis with individuals and within groupwork settings. The approach is based on “Good Lives” principles and includes general offence focussed work. More intensive interventions encompass MFMC (Moving Forward Making Changes) and our UP2U domestic abuse programme. Some examples of this structured work involve, managing strong feelings,
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handling conflict, improving relationships, anger awareness, managing negative behaviours, goal setting, and planning. Commissioned Third Sector “Other Activity” Programmes/Home Working 2.11 The Scottish Government Covid-19 recovery monies enabled the service to continue to commission and work collaboratively with several third sector organisations. These partners were also able to support deliver the “other activity” element of the Order. In partnership with Justice staff, the interventions were delivered both through digital platforms or on a face-to-face basis. 2.12 Details of the commissioned organisations and the interventions provided include. • The Wise Group delivered a programmed designed to provide information and awareness raising on a variety of topics such as, mental health wellbeing, diet and heathy lifestyle options, income maximisation and budgeting, building positive networks, dealing with conflict, employment, and training skills, and alcohol and drug education. • Love Learning delivered an individual programme designed to address literacy, employment support needs, social isolation, mental health issues, and the positive use of time. • Street Cones delivered a programme designed to support individuals through their involvement in the creative arts. Participants wrote a script, which they themselves later performed. 2.13 The increased engagement with third sector and creative arts partners has led to positive feedback from our service users, many of whom report increased feelings of self-worth, motivation, confidence, and mental wellbeing. This is evidenced by the direct service user quotes captured with the Community Payback Order report. Ongoing Service Improvement 2.14 As part of recovery and continuous service improvement consultation has taken place with individuals who are subject to a Community Payback Order. This helped shape the development of the hybrid model of service delivery for unpaid work.The service has also employed two Development Workers within Restorative Justice who have lived experience of the justice system. They will continue to play a key role in the ongoing development of the service, and its evolving culture and practice. 2.15 Justice Services utilised a proportion of covid recovery monies to purchase a training package for 56 staff across children and families to implement the ‘UP2U Family Practice’ domestic programme. This version of UP2U is designed specifically as an early intervention approach for those who have not been convicted of domestic abuse offences but who use such behaviours against intimate partners. The more intense domestic abuse UP2U Creating Healthy Relationships intervention continues to evolve and be delivered for those who have been mandated by the Courts to engage in such a programme. Collaborative Working 2.16 Under the auspices of North Lanarkshire Community Justice Partnership there has been a greater emphasis on holistic service provision for those subject to community payback orders. Examples of this includes:
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• Person centred Housing Support. • An increased focus on financial Inclusion and money advice. • Drug and Alcohol Interventions such as the promotion Naloxone training for service users, their families and staff. • The reintroduction of Health and Wellbeing checks by the Keep Well Nurses. • During the Covid-19 pandemic and in partnership with Connecting Scotland the service helped addressed the digital poverty of several service users. Moving forward this will continue to be a significant focus of support and intervention. Management of Risk 2.17 As the report seeks to demonstrate Criminal Justice Services working in partnership with others continues to be committed to building safer and more inclusive communities. In addition to trying to address the underlying issues that trigger offending behaviours, and ensuring visible and appropriate payback to the community, the approach also involves contributing to victim support and public protection. This requires ongoing adherence to legislative and procedural requirements such as child and adult support and protection, and the Multi-Agency Public Protection (MAPPA) arrangements for registered sex offenders and violent offenders who meet the criteria to be managed under this process. 3. Measures of success 3.1 Reduction in reoffending 3.2 Community Benefit from Unpaid Work 3.3 Individual are supported to improve life outcomes and reintegration to the community (change measured through outcome star tool) 4. Supporting documentation Appendix 1 Community Payback Order Annual Report Alison Gordon Head of Children, Families and Justice Services/CSWO
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5. Impacts ( http://connect/report-template-guidance ) 5.1 Public Sector Equality Duty and Fairer Scotland Duty Does the report contain information that has an impact as a result of the Public Sector Equality Duty and/or Fairer Scotland Duty? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? In broad terms the service supports the council in these duties through it’s contribution to public protection and community safety and its impact on the life chance of those within the justice system who are disproportionately impacted by a range of issues including with respect to poverty, mental health and addiction If Yes, has an assessment been carried out and published on the council’s website? https://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/your-community/equalities/equality-and-fairer- scotland-duty-impact-assessments Yes ☐ No ☐ 5.2 Financial impact Does the report contain any financial impacts? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, have all relevant financial impacts have been discussed and agreed with Financial Solutions? Yes ☐ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? No direct impact as the service is fully funded through Scottish Government Grant Funding including additional temporary allocation to support service/system recovery. 5.3 HR policy impact Does the report contain any HR policy or procedure impacts? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, have all relevant HR impacts have been discussed and agreed with People and Organisational Development? Yes ☐ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.4 Legal impact Does the report contain any legal impacts (such as general legal matters, statutory considerations (including employment law considerations), or new legislation)? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, have all relevant legal impacts have been discussed and agreed with Legal and Democratic Solutions? Yes ☐ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.5 Data protection impact Does the report / project / practice contain or involve the processing of personal data? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, is the processing of this personal data likely to result in a high risk to the data subject? Yes ☐ No ☐
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If Yes, has a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) been carried out and e- mailed to dataprotection@northlan.gov.uk Yes ☐ No ☐ 5.6 Technology / Digital impact Does the report contain information that has an impact on either technology, digital transformation, service redesign / business change processes, data management, or connectivity / broadband / Wi-Fi? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? Where the impact identifies a requirement for technology, has an assessment been carried out (or scheduled) by the Enterprise Architecture Governance Group (EAGG)? Yes ☐ No ☐ 5.7 Environmental / Carbon impact Does the report / project / practice contain information that has an impact on any environmental or carbon matters? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? Elements of the service such as the Bike workshop have a positive impact on the environment/carbon targets 5.8 Communications impact Does the report contain any information that has an impact on the council’s communications activities? Yes ☐ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.9 Risk impact Is there a risk impact? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the key risks and potential impacts, highlighting where the risk(s) are assessed and recorded (e.g. Corporate or Service or Project Risk Registers), and how they are managed? The service supports the overall management of public protection risk (corporate risk register) as well as areas such as tackling poverty and community safety. Recruitment challenges currently present the most significant risk to service recovery and improvement and are being addressed alongside wider social workforce issues as reflected in the service risk register,
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FINANCIAL YEAR: 2021/22 LOCAL AUTHORITY: North Lanarkshire Appendix 1 COMMUNITY PAYBACK ORDER ANNUAL REPORT
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2 1) In this section, please give examples of work with people subject to CPOs (Community Payback Orders) specifically to address offending behaviours and the risk of reoffending. (Bullet points will suffice. Max 300 words.) Justice Services recognises the need to ensure that those who commit offences make restitution to the community and engage in services which support their rehabilitation, social inclusion and risk associated with recidivism. These areas of work have included: • Addictions – Brief Interventions and awareness raising work have been undertaken by Justice staff. Where more intensive support was required, this was provided by recovery services, Integrated Additions Services, Phoenix Futures, and other substance misuse partner agencies. • Housing – Support has been available to address homelessness, overcrowding, arrears, and tenancy issues, and advocacy. • Employability/Education – Justice services are active participants in steering groups focused on extending education and employment opportunities for our service users and assisting them to work specialist partner agencies who can maximise their employment or further training potential. • Risk and need assessment – Staff utilise Risk Management Authority approved risk assessment tools to assess risk and need, and to implement appropriate responses to addressing criminogenic needs. • Offence Focused Work Interventions - These take place on a one-to-one basis with individuals and within groupwork settings. The approach is based on “Good Lives” principles and includes general offence focussed work. More intensive interventions encompass MFMC (Moving Forward Making Changes) and our UP2U domestic abuse programme. Some examples of this structured work involve, managing strong feelings, handling conflict, improving relationships, anger awareness, managing impulsive behaviour, goal setting, and planning. The Outcome Star tool is used to help service users identify their priority areas of need and to foster a co-production approach to the support plan and to measure progress and outcomes. • Our Health & Wellbeing focus has involved the promotion of engagement with Keep Well Nurses, suicide awareness and prevention, mental health support, Naloxone training and physical health strategies including healthy eating and exercise. • The constructive use of time has involved referrals and support to access community resources such as Lanarkshire Association for Mental Health (LAMH), Made4U in ML2, Phoenix Futures and recovery cafes and allotments in local areas, as well as Shotts Healthy Living and Kick Start/Street Soccer. • Tackling poverty – Staff contribute to “Forward to a Fairer North Lanarkshire.’ This is promoted by all staff and a dedicated Financial Inclusion Team, which is accessible to all staff and residents across North Lanarkshire to ensure benefits are maximised and debt management issues are supported.
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3 2) In this section, please give a summary of feedback, may include quotes, from people subject to CPOs about the impact on them of a Supervision Requirement. (Bullet points will suffice. Max 300 words.) Developing a strong professional relationship is a key element of the supervision experience and is fundamental to effective engagement and positive outcomes. Within justice services outcome star is a service user led tool to ascertain service user needs and strengths to facilitate access to services and support. For 2021/22 there were 343 (57% increase from 2020/21) initial and final justice stars available for analysis and are represented in the tables below. Positively an increase in resilience is represented across each of the other 10-star areas with Managing Strong Emotions (11% increase); Relationships Family (8% increase); Positive use of Time (7% increases) and Accommodation (5% increase). This is consistent with the previous year when improvements were also identified across the 10-star areas. In terms of the Journey of Change (JOC) service users’ readings indicated that self-reliance at the initial stage was highest in Parenting Caring at 62% and second highest was Accommodation at 51%. An increase in both star areas is noted in the final star readings with Parent Caring increasing to 65% and Accommodation to 56%. Numerically the largest increases in self-reliance were however seen in the star areas of A Crime Free Life 19% (23% at the initial star to 42% at the final star); Mental Health Well- Being 12% (23% at the initial star to 35% at the final star); Managing Strong Feelings 11% (24% at the initial star to 35% at the final star); Drugs and Alcohol 9% (32% at the initial star to 41% at the final star). The following direct quotes from service user feedback provide some examples of the impact of supervision and our commitment to relationship-based practice. • “My Social Worker has been a major help to me during this Order. I was all over the place at the start but now I am working and have a better flat and am seeing about having contact with my son.” • “I quite like going to the groupwork (MFMC) because I do not go out anywhere else, I am really isolated. But between that and the unpaid work, it keeps me going and the Order is not as bad as I thought it would be.” • “I would never have gone to addictions appointments without the help I have had during the Order. I never thought I had a problem, even with all the offences before this one but I know now.” • “Supervision provided me with the opportunity to speak with my supervising officer about things I could never speak to anyone else about.” • “I always left my supervision session feeling much better than when I came in.”
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4 3) In this section, please report on the following: ▪ Types of unpaid work projects carried out ▪ Example(s) that demonstrate(s) how communities benefited from unpaid work (Bullet points will suffice. Max 300 words.) In total 53,464 unpaid work hours were completed in North Lanarkshire during this reporting period. These hours were carried out via a combination of single placements, squad activities, home working and other initiatives. The examples of unpaid work projects completed in North Lanarkshire are as follows: • Wood Workshop – Items made in our workshop for various community groups, such as outdoor classrooms activity equipment for schools and planters for sheltered housing complexes. • Bike workshop – Refurbished bikes were donated to community groups, schools, and individuals. Over 203 bicycles were distributed to assist and support individuals within the community to maximise their health and wellbeing throughout the Covid- 19 pandemic. Restorative Justice staff provided refurbished bikes to both adults and children who were victims of bike thefts in the North Lanarkshire area. Restorative Justice were also able to provide 30 bikes to school children due to an online media post that was seen by the beneficiary school. In total 1075 hours of unpaid work has been completed by the bicycle repair workshop. • Laundry workshops – Restorative Justice have continued to work in partnership with the local school uniform banks and the Diamonds in the Community charity. Adult, children, and baby clothing has been laundered, dried, ironed and given out to local community groups and charity shops. • Activity groups – Craft items made by service users has been donated to local organisations or sold at fayres and the money raised has been given to local charities. • Squad placements – Projects completed in the local community has included landscaping the groundwork and building projects. • Private placements – Placement’s support has been employed in an array of settings including local churches, allotments, sheltered housing complexes and charity shops • Home working - Home working continues to be used alongside community projects for those completing unpaid work. The following items were made and distributed: - Rags to rugs, 154 donated rugs - Animal faces/Fairy Doors/Canvasses, 103 donated - Bird and Bat boxes, 236 donated boxes • “I always felt comfortable, unjudged and could trust workers from the first to last person I met “. • “Supervision was really helpful in helping me manage my family relationships.”
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5 A considerable number of individuals involved in unpaid work report that they enjoy the work they have been involved in and that they have gained a sense of pride in their achievements. This includes work within local schools, walkways, sheltered housing complexes, children’s houses, public areas, and local parks. As previously noted, the array of work ranges from landscaping areas within local schools, creating outdoor learning opportunities for children, and undertaking home working projects such as, making rugs from rags which are then distributed to local animal charities. Consultations takes place with individuals subject to Community Payback Orders via service user discussions, exit questionnaires and case reviews. The following comments were obtained as a result. • “Unpaid work has given me structure and routine and increased my self-esteem.” 4) Summary of feedback may include quotes, from people subject to CPOs about the impact on them of an Unpaid Work Requirement. (Bullet points will suffice. Max 300 words.) - Positive mental health/eco environmental/seasonal/anti bullying plaques, 153 distributed. Communities within North Lanarkshire have also benefited from unpaid work as detailed below: • Undertaking garden maintenance throughout the authority. This includes sheltered housing complexes, children’s houses, and other community settings. • Refurbishment and replacement of wooden furniture for community projects and schools. • Snow clearance and gritting of pathways for access during inclement weather. • Collection and distribution of food parcels and toys to vulnerable families throughout the fiscal year of 2021 - 2022. There were 491 gifts for younger children and 343 gifts for older children given out over the festive season. Christmas and New Year meals were also provided to vulnerable adults and families from local restaurants and distributed via our service. 50 items of clothing were also distributed during the festivities to people in need. Easter eggs were also secured and provided to vulnerable children. • Litter picking in local areas across North Lanarkshire has also continued. • Maintenance of allotments in Wishaw and Coatbridge has allowed for the distribution of its produce to people in need across the authority. The examples above demonstrate how the continued mixed model for unpaid work contributes to reparation, reintegration, and rehabilitation for service users, which benefits the whole community.
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6 Scottish Government Covid-19 recovery monies enabled the service to commission and work collaboratively with several third sector organisations. The third sector organisations were able to support delivery of the “other activity” element of the Order. In partnership with Justice staff, the interventions were delivered through a combination of digital platforms and on a face-to-face basis. Details of the commissioned organisations and the interventions are listed as follows: • Wise Group - The Wise Group delivered a group basis programme designed to provide information and awareness raising on a variety of topics such as, mental health, managing negative thoughts and emotion, diet and health, state benefit entitlement, and budgeting, building positive networks, dealing with conflict, employment, and training skills, and alcohol and drug education. • Love Learning – Love Learning delivered programmes on an individual basis designed to address issues such as literacy, employment support, social isolation, mental health difficulties, and positive use of time. • Street Cones – Street Cones delivered a group based designed programme to support individuals using creative arts to explore and address assorted topics impacting on 5) Types of ‘Other Activity’ carried out as part of an Unpaid Work Requirement. You may want to comment on the impact of completing Other Activities, for individuals or for the community. (Bullet points will suffice. Max 300 words.) • “Coming to the allotments has helped me get out of the house and face people again.” • “I have learned new skills that I have been able to use in my home and this has also increased my employment opportunities.” • “I enjoyed seeing the difference we make in my local area.” • “I now think before I act and want to avoid picking up any more charges.” • “I have been treated with dignity and respect and supported by my officer to make positive changes in my life.” • “This order has helped me increase my self-esteem and I now believe in my own abilities. This has helped me make better choices.” • “Coming to unpaid work has given me the confidence to go on and gain employment.” • “I really benefitted from unpaid work, and I felt like I was treated fairly and as a valued member of the team.” • “I am grateful I got a placement near my house, that allows me to see what I have achieved on a daily basis.” • “Doing unpaid work at a school made gave me a sense of pride as my children attended the same school and they benefitted directly from the work I had done in their playground.” • “In the workshop I was treated as one of the team and people recognised my skills and hard work, I was also given the opportunity to share my skills with staff and other service users.”
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7 6) Summary of feedback, may include quotes, from beneficiaries about the impact of service users' lives. Participants devised a script that was then performed by the same service users. The introduction and engagement with third sector and creative arts partners, has led to positive feedback from individuals. Many have reported increased feelings of self-worth, motivation, confidence, mental wellbeing, and a belief that more positive lifestyle pathways will be open to them in the future. Service user quote – “Inclusion in the Wise Group programme supported my mental health and wellbeing and provided important information about reducing my debts and saving money.” In addition to the third sector services noted above, an educational workbook continues to be used in discussion with individuals. This is designed to allow service users to reflect on previous behaviours, and to identify and develop coping strategies to assist them to make more helpful lifestyle choices. Staff have facilitated ‘Walk and Talk’ sessions to promote positive mental and physical health and address social isolation. Where appropriate this has also been incorporated within the litter picking activity. As noted, Individuals are helped with education and employability issues, and this continues to be supported by partner agencies. Staff and appropriate service users continued to engage with Venture Trust to promote life enhancing skills, problem solving and increased self-esteem through tangible goal setting and individual achievement. Following the end of Covid-19 restrictions the service provided by the Keep well Nurses has recommenced. This resource has had a significant impact in addressing the physical and mental health needs of service users. Justice staff continued to meet with individuals to complete the Justice Outcome Star in person and virtually when necessary. The visual and person-centred nature of this approach provides a focus for discussion and intervention. The formulation of the Action and Support Plan, thereafter, identifies priority areas of need which individuals are encouraged and supported to address. Outcome Star is holistic and collaborative and allows for the setting of SMARTER goals. The Outcome Star is regularly revisited with the service user and forms the basis for discussion at the individuals Community Payback Order reviews. Unpaid Work staff have implemented a pilot of Exit questionnaires which are completed with service users at the end of their Community Payback Orders. The feedback from service users is invaluable in terms of what works well and in helping to inform future service developments and delivery. In the period 2021- 2022, a total of 310 exit questionnaires were completed. Findings from North Lanarkshire Council’s Justice Services Exit questionnaire informed that 94% considered the Justice Outcome Star intervention valuable. The service is committed to increasing the use of these questionnaires both within the Unpaid Work team and the wider service.
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8 Unpaid Work on the community. (Bullet point will suffice. Max 300 words.) The Restorative Justice Service engages with partner agencies, community groups, schools, and sheltered housing complexes to identify projects that would benefit the wider community. The beneficiaries of unpaid work services have provided positive feedback via numerous platforms, including emails, letters, telephone calls, newsletters, websites, and social media platforms. Feedback, including the quotes below outline the positive impact that unpaid work has had on the local community in North Lanarkshire. Some of feedback received includes the following: • “We got your delivery of the balance bike, and the guys were helpful. The children love it and have been having great fun on it today. Thank you so much again” – Allanton Primary School. • “Thank you so much for this. I honestly believe this will improve Mr XXX’s mental wellbeing. He describes feeling a sense of freedom on his new bike and has been using this to get to his appointments” – Addiction Nurse, Addiction Recovery Team, Airdrie. • “XXX has been such an asset and significant help whilst he has been here. We just wanted to express our gratitude by letting you know that he is always so keen to help where he can and has done fantastic work every time he is here. We have offered XXX a part time job when he finishes his unpaid work hours” - Bellshill YMCA. • “XXXXX was a fantastic worker, and his work ethic was outstanding. He took pride in all the work he carried out at our building, and this showed with the results each week he attended” – Carers Centre, Airdrie • “XXX was very polite and respectful and always went above and beyond with any task he was asked to carry out within the grounds” – Unitas Road Sheltered Housing Complex. • “It has been a pleasure having XXXX work with myself, and I am incredibly sad that he will no longer be attending as he really made a difference. I am thankful to XXXX for all his challenging work as it really was a big task when he first came, however this did not faze him, and he always had a smile on his face doing the challenging work” – Barnardo’s charity shop. • “The tenants have all been commenting on how good a job he’s doing here, he’s such a good worker” – Larch Grove Sheltered Housing Complex. • “We would like to thank everyone from Restorative Justice allotments for providing the delicious vegetables which were distributed among the tenants. Everyone has remarked how tasty the potatoes, carrots and other veg were and in this time of price rises, it is nice to get something free!” – Pirnie Place Sheltered Housing Complex.
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9 7) What organisational challenges have there been in completing orders effectively this year, both those with Unpaid Work and those with Supervision Requirements? Issues may or may not be related to the covid pandemic. (Bullet points will suffice. Max 300 words.) During this reporting period and the requirement to adhere to Covid-19 restrictions and emergency legislation the impact on service delivery has been significant, however, Restorative Justice staff have been able to respond innovatively to the challenges by utilising home working and supporting individuals to complete unpaid in their local area, all to the benefit of local communities. During the period of highest pandemic restrictions, the local community, service users and staff missed out on the benefits, structure, and routine of a fully operational unpaid work service. For unpaid work and in adherence to emergency legislation and national Health and Safety guidance there was an incremental approach to increasing service user attendance. • It has been a challenge for some service users to fully comply with the terms and conditions of their Community Payback Orders following the pandemic. The necessity to stand the service down on two occasions interrupted continuity and the motivation of some service users to recommence regular attendance. Staff commitment to relationship building and motivational interviewing has been imperative to reconnecting service users with unpaid work. • Identifying safe and suitable accommodation for service delivery was an ongoing issue during the reporting period and this required our staff to be more flexible in the planning and delivery of programmed interventions. • Covid-19 restrictions significantly impacted on Court business. Now that restrictions have been lifted the demand on Justice Services is incrementally increasing both in terms of Criminal Justice Social Work (CJSW) Report requests and the imposition of new Community Payback Orders. In order to meet these demands the service has consistently reduced the backlog of outstanding unpaid work hours through a new hybrid model of working. This consists of the traditional unpaid work approach, alongside new creative aspects such a home working. This strategy has assisted to reduce the strain on our Court Services by negating the need to request time extensions for existing orders at Court. • Staff recruitment and retention has been a particular challenge. The current difficulty in being able to consistently recruit new staff to existing vacancies, particularly to temporarily funded positions, has directly impacted on service delivery. Front line managers within the service continue to monitor caseloads and to assist workers in the prioritisation of their statutory responsibilities. • Physical and mental health issues pertaining to both staff and service users, has impacted directly on the consistent delivery of service. We have utilised local resources to support staff and service users to address these issues, including the NHS and Voluntary and Third sector services.
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10 9) Is there any other relevant information you wish to highlight? For example, this may include: ▪ Areas for improvement and planned next steps 8) Outline the main barriers, if any, to accessing community support and wider services (e.g., drug and alcohol services, mental health services). How have these barriers been addressed? The following barriers impacted access to access community support and wider services: • As previously highlighted the Impact of Covid 19 and subsequent restrictions has been a particular challenge. • Some partner agencies were providing limited or no contact with service users during covid restrictions for example, Addiction Recovery Teams, GP services, Mental Health Services • Some services moved their services to an online format • The ability of some Service User access appropriate technology in order to engage with online services • Staff illness across agencies restrict service users access to key workers Detailed below are examples of how some of the barriers encountered were addressed: • Social Work staff needed to adapt and respond to individuals who required more support during these times particularly to fulfil statutory obligations and responsibilities, not least in the area of public protection. A Red/Amber/Green (RAG) risk management system was implemented, and this ensured that service users who had the highest risk and need were identified. This allowed for additional Social Work support to be made available if they encountered barriers to accessing other services. This availability was particularly beneficial for those service users struggling with their mental health or addiction issues. The new justice structure allowed for increased resilience because of the ability of Senior Managers to move staff quickly to those areas of the service where the demand and pressure was most acute. • Justice staff were able to access available funding in order to address digital poverty. Securing digital devices enabled many of the people we work with to maintain contact with online services and to undertake other activity in relation their Unpaid Work. • Unpaid work home working for appropriate service users was employed throughout the pandemic. These arrangements benefitted community partners including Police Scotland Dog Unit, SSPCA, NHS, Wildlife trust, Housing, Leisure and Recreation, and the wider community. This creative approach resulted in 5,650 hours of home working being completed during this reporting period and negated the need for orders to be returned to Court for extension.
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11 ▪ New ways of working and benefits achieved from these. ▪ Examples of work carried out in collaboration with community justice partners and wider community partners, including the third sector, to deliver CPOs (Bullet points will suffice. Max 300 words). Justice services will continue to improve, plan, and develop services, and the following initiatives highlight some of our planned next steps • Consideration is being given to a community consultation and evaluation. This will help to further assess the visibility of Justice Services within communities, promote the work being undertaken by our service, and potentially lead to additional partnership working. • As noted there will be an extension of the service user exit questionnaire to other areas of Justice Services. • Justice Services continue to promote training, employability, and general life skills. In the next year the service plans to provide service users with the opportunity to gain in house first aid, manual handling, health and safety qualifications, and further Naloxone training. • Healthy cooking groups will be expanded and developed for service users to learn skills on how to ‘cook on a budget’ with seasonal fresh ingredients and produce provided from our allotments in Coatbridge and Wishaw. In 2021 two Development Workers with lived experience of the justice system were employed. In partnership with other services and agencies the Development Workers will continue to support the evolution of practice, culture, and systems to improve outcomes for people who are involved with Justice Services. A virtual engagement event took place in November 2021 to raise awareness of the work undertaken by individuals subject to a Community Payback Order. The event was held via MS Teams. The event was attended by partner agencies, third sector colleagues, elected members, beneficiaries of unpaid work services, charities, local community groups and employability partners. Service users were involved in the planning of the online event and took part in the presentations. A further such event is being planned for December 2022. Examples of work carried out in collaboration with community justice partners and wider community partners, including the third sector are as follows: • During the inclement weather, the staff and service users undertook snow clearance and gritting throughout North Lanarkshire. • During the inclement weather, Restorative Justice staff transported home care colleagues to their destinations to ensure that they were able to deliver support and care services to the vulnerable care groups. • The wood workshop repaired benches and provided wooden equipment for environmental projects within the communities and schools. The workshop also
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12 COMPLETED BY: Lisa Kaspar DATE: 17.10.22 CONTACT FOR QUERIES ABOUT THE REPORT Name: Lisa Kaspar E-mail: KasparLisa@northlan.gov.uk Telephone: 01698 524940 provided home working woodwork project packs which were distributed and completed as home working tasks • Local litter picking was undertaken in all areas of North Lanarkshire Council. • All of Justice Services continued to work alongside Connecting Scotland to access digital devices for individuals such as laptops. This directly reduced digital poverty and assisted individuals with their educational and employability needs. • The Community Payback Team supported 116 vulnerable adults and families to access maximise their income to assist with daily living expenses. The monies secured amounted to approximately £58,000. • Prior to Christmas Restorative Justice received several donations from a variety of organisations. Additionally, Bocca restaurant gave over 60 festive meals to Restorative Justice for distribution. Local Churches and the Salvation Army also provided information on festive meals available throughout our communities. This allowed Justice services to support some of our service users to address the poverty issues being experienced over the festive season. • Over 854 toy parcels and presents were given out as well as 118 in store vouchers which were donated by local businesses for distribution to the community. This amounted to £1380. • Justice Services utilised a proportion of covid recovery monies to purchase a training package for 56 staff across children and families to implement the ‘UP2U Family Practice’ domestic abuse programme. This version of UP2U was designed specifically for child and family situations where unhealthy relationship behaviours exist. This offers a consistent intervention approach across children, families, and Justice which strengthens North Lanarkshire’s response to behaviour change work with those who perpetrate domestic abuse.