Families may help to cut re-offending

The Home Office is developing a strategy to look at how prison and probation services will carry out their statutory duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children under the Children Act 2004.

The National Offender Management Service’s (Noms) strategy for children and families, currently in draft form, will look at the role of children and families in reducing re-offending and preventing social exclusion.

Joy Dalkin, policy lead at the Noms community integration unit, said it would examine a “complex array of conflicting priorities” that would draw on the work of a number of government departments.

“We are considering evidence that shows offenders who go back to their families after prison are more likely to keep jobs and accommodation, while around half of offenders lose relationships after going into custody,” Dalkin said.

“We also need to avoid stigmatising families of offenders in custody and the community and link them in with mainstream providers.”

The draft strategy is expected to be finished by August then published for consultation.