Name of Client: CLIENT B
DOB: 1980
Prison: HMP Erlestoke
Date of Sentence: IPP – 2006
Tariff Expiry Date: 2010
No of releases and Recalls: 4
Final Parole Hearing: Summer 2024
Release Date: Autumn 2024
Approved Premises: Berkshire
Summary of Engagement with New Connections (NC)
First contact
CLIENT B was given an Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) sentence in 2006 for Malicious Wounding (Inflicting GBH). The offence was a violent assault driven by excessive amounts of alcohol, with which CLIENT B had been struggling before the incident. However, what CLIENT B has struggled with most in his life has been substance abuse. Since his sentence began in 2006, CLIENT B has been recalled to custody four times, each due to relapses in his substance use.
CLIENT B has a history of demonstrating stability initially, but after around 12-18 months, he starts to lose contact with his support network and relapses. He first heard of NC’s services whilst in custody and thought he would benefit from support post-release, particularly with his substance addiction. In spring 2024, CLIENT B was referred to us by a community probation officer. We were informed that CLIENT B has not committed any additional violent offences since his index offence and that all professionals supported his release; what CLIENT B needed assistance with was his substance use and his reintegration into the community.
Parole
CLIENT B was referred to NC only a few months before his next parole hearing, so our next step was to prepare a report for his hearing and offer our attendance if CLIENT B required it. In this instance, CLIENT B did not feel it necessary for an NC representative to attend his hearing; he was confident that the hearing would result in his release. The parole hearing took place in 2024, and CLIENT B’s Direction for Release came through in theSummer 2024.
Support Pre-Release
Once a date had been confirmed for CLIENT B’s release, an NC representative set up a care plan for him, which involved identifying the areas of support that needed to be targeted most for him to have the best chance of a successful reintegration. We gained some insight from CLIENT B about his goals and hopes for the future, as well as his concerns regarding his return to the community.
In addition to listening to our clients’ thoughts and feelings about their upcoming release, at NC, we also discuss the practical elements on which our clients may need support or advice. For example, many individuals who have spent long periods in custody struggle with tasks like setting up a bank account or obtaining identification, essentials for re-entering the community. CLIENT B needed assistance with both and also expressed interest in finding a mentor, which we supported as well. We connected him with the relevant details.
At NC, we recognise that many of our clients worry about being left to fend for themselves in the community, especially if they have a history of addiction. Since this was a primary concern for CLIENT B, we assisted him in finding an abstinence-based accommodation in the area where he hoped to rebuild his life. At CLIENT B’s request, we also researched clothing grants to help provide him with some essentials for his initial setup, which were provided.
Release
CLIENT B was released to an Approved Premises (AP) in Berkshire in Autumn, 2024. Once we had a location, we could begin to find AA/NA meetings nearby, an essential service for CLIENT B, whose recalls to custody have all been related to substance relapse. At NC, we endeavour to maintain contact with our clients’ Community Offender Managers (COMs) so that we can work together to provide the most effective wrap-around support. We believe that bridging the gap between professionals and services provides our clients with stability and reassurance.
At NC, we recognise that the day our clients are released from custody can be nerve-wracking, which is why we provide a contact number for them to reach out to us during this challenging time. We are proactive in maintaining contact with our clients during the first three months after their release, and we then encourage the client to take on the responsibility of this contact. This is because the first three months are typically the most difficult, and individuals then vary in the level of support they require afterwards. With CLIENT B, we contacted his COM to pass on our details. The first contact we had with CLIENT B after his release was in the Autmn 2024.
Support in the community
In the first month after CLIENT B’s release, an NC representative stayed in regular contact by phone. We took the time to get to know his hobbies and interests, as we understand how beneficial it is to create and maintain a positive identity and sense of purpose in successfully reintegrating into the community. CLIENT B is interested in staying fit and healthy, so we funded a gym membership for him, which he appreciated; he recognised the benefits this would have on both his mental and physical health.
Many of our clients are concerned about their long-term living arrangements, particularly if they have been unemployed for an extended period. CLIENT B wished to move to the Oxford area to be near his family, so we sourced abstinence-based accommodation in this area for him and also passed these on to his COM.
We enjoy face-to-face contact with our clients whenever possible. As one of our representatives was travelling through the area shortly after CLIENT B’s release, we offered to meet for a catch-up if he was interested. On this occasion, CLIENT B was unavailable; he had been spending time with his family, time in the AP, and gradually spending more time in the community.
By early 2025, CLIENT B completed his time at the AP and began residing in an abstinence-based accommodation in Oxford. We continued to support him in finding organisations that could assist him with clothing for future employment and provide funding for household essentials.
Disengagement
Contact with CLIENT B has been sporadic since his release. At NC, we recognise that all of our clients’ journeys are different, which means the level of support they require from us can vary. The goal for our clients is to live successfully in the community; therefore, promoting independence is a crucial part of the process. Many of our clients have appointments with other professionals, attend support groups, and have job interviews to prepare for, so maintaining frequent contact with us isn’t always manageable. That is why, at NC, we have check-in points at months one, three, and six, where we can tailor a care plan and monitor their progress.
Re-engagement
After an initial period of contact of two months CLIENT B slightly disengaged from our services, as he was integrating well into the community and felt confident, however it is to his credit that at month four he reached out to NC for support with follow-on accommodation from his AP, when often clients at this stage would feel isolated he recognised that we are a consistent source of support for him through custody and in the community at any stage. At NC, we are reassured that our clients believe they can rely on us when faced with challenges. Without our assistance, CLIENT B might have struggled to find accommodation and could have potentially been recalled to custody. What we provide our clients with is a thorough understanding of their individual needs, along with a sense of continuity.
Current Situation
To date, CLIENT B is successfully integrating into the community, leading a prosocial life and is engaged with NC and will continue to be as and when he needs our support.
