Working with you to help your clients

We work collaboratively with our clients and their legal representative to help to receive a positive outcome at parole board hearings and beyond

How do we work with our clients legal representaive

All our funding for the work we do leading up to and including the Parole Board hearing is funded by legal aid, as such our client's solicitors must apply for this funding and have it approved before we can commence with our in-prison visits.

We have submitted about 100 reports to Parole Boards and attended about 70 Oral Hearings, since our founding in 2018, and have never been criticised by panel members; indeed on several occasions have received direct praise after hearings.

Our reports are submitted first to the client and their lawyer before going to the Parole Board and if they don’t like what they read they would be under no obligation to submit the report.

Our objective is to “get prisoners out of prison and keep them out”. That objective is totally in line with the Ministry of Justice and the Parole Board. Furthermore, we don’t talk about risk, nor make the decision to release which is made by the Parole Board and they get advice on risk from professionals with suitable experience and qualifications.

Our expertise is in addiction and substance misuse and that is what we work with. We give advice, guidance and support post-release. The goal is to develop a robust plan in collaboration with our client so that the Parole Board will believe that release is in everyone’s best interests.

HOW WE WORK

SOMETHING YOU NEED AN ANSWER TO?

FAQs

Q: My client is already accessing drugs and alcohol services within the prison, what is the benefit of working with you as well?

A: We believe that a client needs and deserves as much support as possible, we work collaboratively to assist in giving them a combined service. Our care branches the gap where in prison and out of prison drugs services cannot and are with our clients through the process giving a continuity on their contact person both from in prison and out of prison

Q: What if the LAA ask for a second quote from another expert witness

A: There are no other ‘Expert Witnesses on Addiction’ and we are therefore paid the standard rate for “Drugs Worker”. I am sure if you reply with this answer the LAA will approve the funding and will not raise the issue again.

Q: How much does your service cost the client?

A: Our services are “free” to the client in the same way that yours are: as long as the client qualifies for legal aid the LAA will pay the bill.

Q: Does your service contradict or clash with the services provided by OMU, drug services etc?

A: We work alongside Probation, both Prison Offender Managers and Community Offender Managers to provide a level of help and support which they simply don’t have the resources to provide.

Q: Has your funding ever been refused by the LAA?

A: In every case, NC work has been funded by the LAA and no funding application has ever been rejected. Occasionally a new lawyer will be asked for a second quotation but, when the LAA is told that we are the only recognised “Expert Witnesses on Addiction”, the funding has always been confirmed. The category for the application is ‘Drugs Worker’.

Q: How many law firms do you currently work with

A: We currently work with over 30 law firms and many with multiple lawyers within the firm.

Q: What areas do you cover?

A: The whole of England and Wales

Q: Who can refer to your services?

A: The client directly, family members, solicitors, drugs and alcohol services, OMU, please click here to refer.

Q: Can you assist clients with short notice?

A: Ideally we require a minimum of 3 months ahead of a Parole date to work with the client in custody to produce a full and detailed assessment and report. We are on a case-by-case basis able to assist on short notice, but we will provide a shorter less detailed report in these situations. Our post-release support will remain the same in both situations.

Our Process

We focus on four main areas when we work with our clients:

1. SUPPORT WHILST IN PRISON

Support starts in prison with a comprehensive assessment of the client’s needs

An agreement on his/her treatment plan.

Followed by individual and group therapies as appropriate

Client attendance at self help fellowship meetings.

2. PREPARATION FOR RELEASE

We work with the client to ensure appropriate housing is in place on release

Ensure the required level of therapeutic intervention which may include residential rehabilitation

And/or attendance at New Connections for individual or group sessions.

New Connections also prepares a report for Parole wherever this is required and are available to attend Parole hearings as expert witness.

3. SUPPORT AFTER RELEASE

Where possible we can meet clients at the prison gate on the day of release, we can escort them to their first appointments, including probation, local drug intervention services, and their agreed accommodation.

Ongoing support includes individual counselling and mentoring, connecting with AA or NA, finding a sponsor, and building wider community networks, with a personalised care plan reviewed at one, three, and six months post-release across ten key areas including mental health, accommodation, and personal goals.

If a client breaks contact at any point, we make five attempts to re-establish communication. The care plan is shared with probation and all relevant professionals, and clients always know they can reach out to us at any time.

4. LIFE IN RECOVERY

New Connections intention is to provide support for ex-offenders so that he/she can make the fundamental changes necessary to live happy and fulfilling lives.

Based on a life free from drugs and crime and the bondage to that lifestyle.

We follow the same individual through custody, parole, release, and any subsequent recalls: frequently the only continuous relationship they have across multiple institutions and supervision periods.

5. IPP WORKSHOPS

Who: Prison officers, probation staff, offender managers, housing officers, and council workers: anyone whose role brings them into contact with IPP-sentenced individuals.

Why: IPP sentences carry a psychological weight that most standard training does not prepare practitioners for. Understanding this cohort, and how to support them effectively, makes a measurable difference to outcomes.

How: Our bespoke workshops are delivered in-prison or remotely, co-facilitated by people with direct lived experience of IPP sentences, and tailored to your setting and your team.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR IPP WORKSHOPS FOR PROFESSIONALS

Mentorship Programme

We are in the process of building up our mentorship programme with clients of ours who we have been working with for a while. Whether or not you have worked with us in the past or not, and you are interested in being either a mentor or mentee, then please get in touch and we can discuss what opportunities we have available.

Volunteer with us

If you are interested in volunteering with us, we would be really interested in discussing this further with you. You can find out more about the specific opportunities here.

FIND OUT MORE

Our Partners

We work with a variety of services providers that we can refer our clients onto to ensure they get the best support available through their journey.

If you would like to partner with us please just get in touch. Whether it is a collaboration or a network share, or to help build support networks within your area, we are open to a wide variety of partner relationships