Item 11 - Community Justice Partnership
West Dunbartonshire Council · 14 August 2025
Back to Community Planning West Dunbartonshire Management Board — 14 August 2025 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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Management Board Meeting Community Planning Partnership Highlights and Issues Report FOR INFORMATION ONLY X FOR DECISION Name of Partnership Community Justice Partnership Date of report 18/07/2025 Name and email of lead contact Lesley.James@west-dunbarton.gov.uk 1 Highlights of activity and progress since last meeting Working/Steering Group Updates: Arrest Referral Scheme Police Scotland held a national partner event in April to consolidate a whole- systems approach to redesign the arrest referral service across Scotland and have issued their first report. Defined not just as a referral, but as a vital conversation at a ‘reachable moment’ in police custody to help an individual to change pathway from the justice system – an opportunity to connect individuals to services addressing issues such as homelessness, addiction, mental health, and health and social inequalities. The event called for continued collaboration, greater investment in preventive and long-term support, and national coordination. It proposed ‘Open Doors Network’ that would provide a shared space for ongoing service design, insight, and partnership working. 1. Challenge Highlighted: Requiring a National Approach Identified Next Step: Creating national minimum standards and/or core principles for the service of helping individuals change pathway away from the justice system 2. Challenge Highlighted: Understanding of Shared information Identified Next Step: Developing an understanding of what information sharing agreements (ISAs), memorandums of understanding (MOUs) or service level agreements (SLAs) are already in place for the service. Determining why ITEM 11
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they are required and what is needed to improve the sharing of information as we follow our service users throughout their journey. 3. Challenge Highlighted: Feeding Back the Impact & Importance Identified Next Step: Gathering of stories of individuals who have had that one conversation whilst in the justice system that has opened the door to support for them to change pathway and transform their life. The group has also received input from SHAAP (Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems): “Alcohol (in) Justice. Position on people with an alcohol use disorder in the justice system”. Consideration will be given to the proposed direction from SHAPP and how we embed this locally to ensure a best practice approach. Stats – low: number of those in police custody currently being referred to specialist services remain very low. Custody to Community The new National Voluntary Throughcare providers are now in place in the locality: Upside.Scot. Local leads and community workers from the organisation have met with partners and are in the process of establishing clear referral and communication pathways. Leads and community workers have also joined the CJP working groups to represent the organisation and contribute to a whole- systems approach to service delivery in WD. Communication to partners has been issued with a 7-minute brief to ensure that all stakeholders are aware of the service provision in the locality. 7 minute briefing National Voluntary Throughcare.zip Following the Early release of prisoner’s scheme, a protocol was established between children and families and justice social work ensuring information sharing in regard for risk and victim safety for those returning to the community following a custodial sentence. This protocol has proved to be beneficial and will be embedded as core business. As part of strengthening confidence in community-based sentences, including the use of technology, WD CJP hosted information and awareness raising sessions in partnership with G4S to raise the profile and applicability of Electronic Monitoring in the locality. The sessions were well received and there are plans to host further sessions in autumn. https://forms.office.com/Pages/AnalysisPage.aspx?AnalyzerToken=biAOmXnm ORsYLp6yxP4IJD6uwaz3YPwa&id=iQL2878eYkezdQNdHqtRQ9G4mEfumgpC mA_52TeLxZNUMjVYVzdGQkhaQ1cyNUlMNUpKRktON0w1Ry4u Community Justice NHS GGC have been working in partnership with Penumbra who have created a “Talking about Mental Health” toolkit for those working with justice populations. The first training session was held in July and was very well received by the first cohort. A second training will be running in September and
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then a Train the Trainer (TTT) event will be held in November. The CJ Co- ordinator will be part of the TTT and a targeted approach workplan will be created to roll out the training to justice staff and key partners ensuring consistency for trauma responsive practice across and between service areas. Prevention and Early and Effective Intervention 1. Diversion in both adult and youth justice context: The group is proposing a development day with key partner stakeholders to better understand the use of diversion as part of adult and youth justice in the locality. A proposal will be sent around to partners to confirm the dates to support outcome improvement planning in this area and inform a strategic needs and strengths assessment. 2. Understanding VAWG in young people’s intimate relationships (a partnership approach with the VAWGP): The group has been considering SafeLives Verge of Harming reports 1 and 2. These reports consider early and effective intervention for young people on the verge of harming in the context of the intimate relationships. The group will consider the reports and applicability for outcome improvement planning in the locality. This is a partnership approach between the CJP and the VAWGP. 3. PS Youth Liaison Officers: The group is considering the programme of work offered by the police YLOs and ensuing equity across all education campuses in the locality. The group is seeking to better understand input from the Violence Reduction Unit and measure impact associated with this activity. 4. Violence and gang culture in WD: There are clear issues with gang culture and territorial issues in WD – the group is seeking to better understand this landscape and consider intervention in this area. 5. Links with the ARS working group: There is much overlay with this work and the work going on as part of the arrest referral scheme – the group is considering the overlays and how best to unite both workstreams ensuring that they compliment each other. Care And Risk Management (CARM) for young people CARM training will be provided to Justice and Children and Families social workers in September 2025. This will support the inception of the new Children (Care & Justice) (Scotland) legislation and provide a risk management framework for the critical few young people who pose a risk of significant harm to self and others. This training will be delivered in a partnership approach with the Centre for Young People’s Centre for Justice (CYCJ) and WD CJP. Women in Justice As part of a collaborative approach with SafeLives the women in justice working group has engaged with discovery activity in the locality to better understand the journey of women who have experienced domestic abuse, involvement with justice systems, from the point of arrest through to prosecution. The discovery report was heard at the Justice conference in June 2025 and embedding the recommendation from the report is being considered by both WD VAWGP and CJP a part of a unified response to improving outcomes for women involved with
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justice systems. The report has been well received and is available upon request: Communityjusticeconferenceevent@west-dunbarton.gov.uk WSSS continues to offer support to women and child victims as part of the Caledonian System. WSS Service co-ordinator is part of the audit and performance team attached to Caledonian systems and is part of the Caledonian steering group. As part of outcome improvement planning the CJ Co-ordinator has been taking a deep dive into the stats around women who are returning from custody back to the community to better understand trajectories. This work is projected to be ongoing for a year and trend analysis will be reported on to consider how we better support vulnerable women at the earliest opportunity. There is clear cross over with this group and the Custody-Community and Prevention and EEI working groups. The information will inform activity across all these work streams and ensure a unified approach to outcome improvement planning. Authentic Voices The discovery report to better understand women’s experience of justice is now complete and this authentic voice activity will now inform outcome improvement planning. A work plan will be developed to support embedding the recommendation from the report. Action for children, Engagement Coordinator, Voices of the Promise, is part of the authentic voices working group. They are currently undertaking lived experience discovery activity, and this will be reported on in the forth coming months. The report will be escalated to WD CJP to consider the implementation and embedding of recommendations as part of prevention work. Caledonian Systems Steering Group The group has been developing a Standard Operating Protocol (SOP) between partners to ensure effective communication and agreed protocols to manage risk and ensure the safety of victims as paramount. The SOP is being developed in a partnership approach and each partner has contributed to its development. The 1st draft of the SOP has been referred to other strategic partner i.e. the VAWGP and the MARAC steering group for scrutiny and agreement. The group is further considering protocols regarding breeches of orders and responding to breeches timeously to ensure that the men who are on the programme are engaging a meaningful way and that risk is always considered in a dynamic manner and shared with relevant partners i.e. justice and children and families’ social work. As part of a partnership approach with the Child Protection Committee the working group is considering the incorporation of multiagency chronologies as part of best practice to ensure that all significant information is shared with relevant stakeholder partners. The group is developing protocols around ensuring contribution to the chronologies as standard practice for those who are part of the Caledonian men’s programme.
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As part of ongoing commitment to quality assurance a performance and audit subgroup has been created to support outcome improvement planning for Caledonian systems. A performance and audit tool has been developed and dip sampling of reports undertaken. The group focused on the standard of assessment including thorough analysis of the SARA – V3, recommendations, and sheriff sentencing along with analysis of those who were deemed not suitable for the programme. The audit activity showed a high standard of assessment and congruence in terms of recommendations. Actions for outcome improvement planning are focused on better understanding of Sheriffs decision making at sentencing when inclusion for the programme have been recommended but not upheld or the programme being included in sentencing when recommendations suggested that the programme was not suitable. and the programme not being recommended as part of insecure housing. This work is ongoing and will continue as a function of the group. The Caledonian working group is working very closely with the MARAC steering group to ensure robust information sharing across and between shared priority and policy areas. Employability The Lennox Partnership (TLP) are the contracted employability specialist assigned to justice services in WD. The Lennox Partnership (TLP) – Part of Custody-Community, Integrated Case Management pre-release planning. TLP have been successful at partnership working with Greenock and Low Moss Prison and are now integrating the employability service as part of pre-release planning. WD CJP has been working closely with Working 4U and considering a partnership arrangement with youth justice and the “Thrive” & “Ready to Thrive” programmes to ensure that young people are being supported with employability needs at the earliest opportunity. Both service areas are ensuring referral pathways with relevant services and support to staff working with complex cases. To support this work Working 4U will be trained on the Penumbra “Talking about mental health” toolkit projected for January 2025 Training, Learning & Development A cohort of 6 multi-agency staff members were trained on the Penumbra “Talking about Mental Health” tool kit in June 25, the resource evaluated well and there are plans for a rolling training plan to ensure that all relevant partners are offered the opportunity to attend the training. A multi-agency Dash-Ric training was held in April and evaluated excellently. There is a need to continue to roll out this training, but capacity remains an issue. There is also no VAWG training plan in place and training remains on the risk register for the VAWGP. The historical Equally Safe training sub- group met to discuss capacity and competence building for the workforce in regard to VAWG and explore a potential TTT model and e-learning
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opportunities. The VAWG lead officer will escalate this to the partnership however there is no VAWG training plan in place and training remains on the risk register for the VAWGP. https://forms.office.com/Pages/AnalysisPage.aspx?AnalyzerToken=I3EoLVx3 eiW5dBgs071CoeZ1m5qs6i3z&id=iQL2878eYkezdQNdHqtRQ9G4mEfumgp CmA_52TeLxZNUQzUyWU1JMDhMU1JVSUpUR1pIRVhYTVhHQy4u Justice and partners hosted another Information and Awareness raising sessions in May 2025. The sessions are to facilitate raising the profile of the services offered in WD and ensure that stake partner holders are aware of the portfolio of support and provision across the locality. The event evaluated excellently and will continue to be offered on a rolling basis. https://forms.office.com/Pages/AnalysisPage.aspx?AnalyzerToken=pZ5Q3A USuncFtvU9p03UE1sYDM8shS2s&id=iQL2878eYkezdQNdHqtRQ9G4mEfu mgpCmA_52TeLxZNUOTVJVzE3RE1OUkJGRzAxQVE5SjBHUlhBMi4u Two trauma skilled follow up focus sessions have been held in June as a follow up to the Transforming Connections Trauma Skilled practice that was held earlier in the year. Feedback for the trauma skilled training was overwhelmingly positive with staff feeling that the training had been hugely beneficial and very supportive in their day-to-day work. Working 4U hosted and employability event to showcase the employability options in then locality – this was excellent in terms of partnership working with justice service users. A development Information session was hosted by WD justice services manager to explore the use of Structured Deferred Sentences. Consideration and development around this being the presumption for youth justice regarding the new legislation will be ongoing. 2 Outline of any issues/risks and how these are being managed Budgets and capacity are an ongoing issue for community justice – this is a national issue and hopefully we will see a bigger investment in community justice with the presumption towards liberty and away from custodial sentences. Issues or risk will be identified and assessed in the Strategic Needs and Strengths Assessments and identified at working/steering groups. These will be reported to the CJP for escalation where necessary. 3 Outline of the main outputs expected before next meeting Progress reporting update from all working groups and wider activity.
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4 What are your requirements of partners in the Community Planning Management Board to achieve the outcomes of the DIG? To support the CJP to deliver locally on the ‘National Strategy for Community Justice’ at a local level. To support the CJP with the uncertainty (nationally) regarding funding and budgets to support the local delivery of the strategy. The CJP will be required to identify funding to deliver the local CJOIP and associated activities. 5 Please outline any good news story you wish to share Trauma Informed Justice Conference 2025 WD CJP held it’s first conference in June 2025. The event raised the profile of the Community Justice Outcome Improvement Plan and included keynote speakers – raising the profile of the importance and benefits of community-based sentencing as part of understanding justice through a trauma informed lens. The event evaluated excellently. Conference Schedule of Events.zip https://forms.office.com/Pages/AnalysisPage.aspx?AnalyzerToken=CuXDQ3VYyeH e34hPOeSV7kNn08OzFy86&id=iQL2878eYkezdQNdHqtRQ9G4mEfumgpCmA_52 TeLxZNUOEJUWDJVU1hHNzE3VENXQzZLOEQwQVE3SC4u Councillor Fiona Hennebry also noted a lovely review of the conference on social media.