PCC visits South Gloucestershire
Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Clare Moody last Thursday (15th August) visited Violence Reduction Partnership Team, and a homeless charity which provides services to young people in South Gloucestershire.
Clare started the day by visiting Patchway Police Custody where SHE met with Detective Superintendent James Riccio, Bill Hillier, Custody Logistics Coordinator, staff, custody visitors and representatives from the Advice Support in Custody and the Courts (ASCC), MITIE Healthcare and Appropriate Adults.
ASCC delivers around 150-200 meaningful engagements/assessments per month within custody/courts delivering advice, signposting, onward referrals and a peer support offer. The service covers all vulnerabilities as part of their assessment but a particular focus on mental health and substance misuse needs of those in custody/going through to court.
ASCC also deliver the Drug Education Programme – a health-based prevention approach to first time drug possession offences, this was rolled out force wide over 2018/19. The service runs a peer mentor programme, utilising volunteers and apprentices with lived experience to support those going through the court process and their wider needs/vulnerabilities. The service has recently won a gold charter NHS award.
The service also has a well embedded female pathway, that provides females who come into custody/court – a bespoke offer through Nelson Trust, recognising their different needs.
From Patchway Police Custody visit, Clare met with South Gloucestershire Senior Leadership, Community Safety and VRP team at Kings Park in Yate. The VRP team and some of the young people gave Clare a tour of South Gloucestershire’s new bus dedicated to reaching young people across the area.
The youth bus is used by various youth groups and outreach workers to attend events, clubs and locations across South Gloucestershire. It offers young people a safe space to talk, access information and support, and play music through a built-in sound bar along with use of a TV and wi-fi. The brightly coloured bus, which has been designed in collaboration with young people and features a range of hand drawn and digitally created illustrations, is also fitted with a microwave and hot water.
The name young people chose for the bus was ‘DORIS’ which stands for Delivery Of Rural Inclusion and Support. VRP Team told Clare there is a huge demand for the bus and it has already been fully booked for this year.
From this, Clare had the opportunity to listen to a presentation by the Early Intervention Sergeant for South Gloucestershire Angharad Morgan and Avon and Somerset Police Child Protection Mentor Liz Hall on the trauma informed approaches they are developing. Angharad and Liz are initiating a multi – disciplinary approach to transforming care, justice and recovery for children
1625 Independent People
Following this, Clare visited Woodleaze House in Yate, which is run by 1625 Independent People. The Charity works with young people aged 16 to 25 in Bristol, Bath & North East Somerset, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire. Clare met with 1625 Independent People Operations Director Vicky Harwood and its Service Manager, Clare Birch, who talked about the organisation’s work to prevent youth homelessness.
Clare Birch said: “Most young people we support have experienced childhood trauma. We offer specialist services to support young people to manage and overcome their trauma and build confidence so they can thrive as an independent adult.”
Some of the young people include Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children.
She said: “We also provide a range of specialist support to help young people secure and sustain suitable education, employment and training.”
Clare ended the day by attending her first Police and Crime Plan Public Forum which was held at Emerson Green Village Hall. The PCC is running Public Forums in the five local authority areas to hear people’s ideas on how to deliver the priorities set out in the Police and Crime Plan.