Theme 4: Commissioning and Partnerships

Police and Crime Commissioners have responsibilities in relation to the commissioning of services and working in partnership to reduce offending and support victims of crime and disorder in the local area.

COMMISSIONING

A successful commissioning plan, will lead to the delivery of the PCC’s local priorities through a process that manages the supply of services and support, understands and builds the network of services, and does what works and what might work.

Funding for commissioning comes from both national and local sources, each with their own conditions on what the funding can be used for. This can include diversion/intervention, crime prevention, community safety, protecting vulnerable people, and supporting victims of crime and antisocial behaviour, based on a public health approach.

The commissioning budget is used either to award contracts or grants.

GRANTS

Grants offer flexibility with increased opportunity for pilot projects and innovation.

Grants may attract smaller providers who might not be in a position to deliver a larger contract, or who may not have the confidence to form a consortium of providers. Small providers may be well established within communities and have excellent local knowledge (as may some larger providers).

Grant rounds have enabled local voluntary organisations to grow and deliver needed local services. The team work with providers to support them through feedback and performance management to achieve the best possible delivery.

CONTRACTS

Contracts are awarded on a longer term basis and are often larger. They are for core activities that require stable and sustainable funding over time. In this way efficiency in contractual relations and diversity in the range and nature of providers that work with the PCC can be ensured.

Examples of current contracts include:

Sexual Crime - The Frankie Worker service provides counselling for children and young people up to the age of 18 who are/were victims of rape, sexual abuse, sexual assault or FGM. The service includes a play therapy worker to support those aged 0-5 years, as this age group have particularly complex needs. Frankie Workers offer specialist counselling at an early stage to prevent trauma developing into poor mental health. The service, which has been developed in partnership with the NHS, has been in operation since April 2017. An Independent Sexual Violence Adviser (ISVA) service provides tailored emotional and practical support to victims and survivors of sexual violence, irrespective of whether they have reported to the Police. ISVA support varies from case-to-case, dependent on the needs of each individual. If reporting to the police, the ISVA will provide support from initial reporting, through the Criminal Justice Process and beyond. An ISVA may also provide information on other services that may be required, such as health and social care, housing or benefits.

Restorative Justice - Restorative Justice brings those harmed by crime and those responsible for the harm into communication with each other, enabling everyone affected by a particular incident to play a part in repairing the harm and finding a positive way forward. Any victim of crime or anti-social behaviour can access Restorative Justice services, regardless of when the offence was committed. Each case is assessed on an individual basis before being taken forward.

Supporting Victims – The Victim Care Service (VCS) is provided in Hampshire by Victim Support, and went live in April 2015. The Victim Care Service provides support for victims and those impacted by crime to cope with, and recover from, the harmful effects of the crime they have experienced. There are also specialist case workers for children and young people and more serious crimes such as domestic abuse. The Victim Care Service is open to all victims no matter what the type of crime, regardless of whether the crime has been reported to the police or not, and no matter how recently or how long ago the crime took place. All offers of a service are completely confidential (unless safeguarding concerns are raised) and they are free to the user. The VCS has steadily increased its performance since its launch, offering a service to thousands of victims of crime in Hampshire and Isle of Wight. Integrated Offender Management (IOM) - This service works intensively with offenders whose crimes cause damage and harm locally. The service supports offenders to live a crime-free life and reduce their risk of harm. IOM focuses on the seven pathways of offending which are: Education, Training and Employment, Drugs and Alcohol, Children and Families, Finance and Debt, Health and Housing.

SECURING EXTERNAL FUNDING

Other funding has been awarded to Hampshire for specific purposes. There is an informal working group in place between the OPCC and Local Authorities to respond quickly and effectively to funding opportunities. Generally, funding opportunities are applied for through a competitive process. Successful applications include:

Sexual Crime Support Hampshire OPCC was successful in applying to the Ministry of Justice to become a pilot area for devolved funding to support victims of Sexual Crime. The Early Intervention Youth Fund (EIYF) There is substantial evidence that those who have experienced adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), and who have limited support from a consistent adult caregiver, are statistically more likely to require support into adulthood from a number of public services including police, social care and health. The OPCC was successful in bidding for funding through the Home Office Early Intervention Youth Fund to recruit Trusted Adult Workers (TAWs) to help build resilience, reduce risk factors and strengthen protective barriers for those affected by the trauma of ACEs. The funding also paid for ACE and Trauma ‘train the trainers’ to continue to educate professionals in being ACE aware and taking a trauma informed approach. The Multi Agency Stalking Intervention Programme (MASIP) Hampshire was one of three areas, London and Cheshire being the other two, chosen to host pilots of MASIP. Hampshire is a leading area on combatting stalking though the pre-existing multi agency Stalking Clinic. MASIP extends that project into a substantial health provision to reduce incidents of stalking. The OPCC funds support to stalking victims. This has been led by Southern Health and Aurora New Dawn. Independent Child Trafficking Guardians (ICG) Barnardo’s has worked with the support of the OPCC to win funding for the ICG service, supporting victims of trafficking and Modern Slavery who are under 18.

PARTNERSHIPS

The PCC is directly responsible for only a small percentage of the funding that goes towards supporting victims and keeping people safer. For commissioning to be truly effective, understanding of needs and supply has to be shared with other funders. The understanding of the local landscape and the network of services available is achieved through partner engagement for example through the Commissioning Board, Community Safety Partnerships, Health and Wellbeing Boards, the Domestic Abuse Executive Board and the Local Criminal Justice Board. Each partner brings to the table its own specialist knowledge and experience, enabling decisions on contracts and grants to be made from an informed, evidence-based position and complement initiatives being carried out by other public service organisations

The PCC in Hampshire is uniquely placed as the only pan-Hampshire elected representative. A key role for the PCC is to take a strategic overview and facilitate partnership working.

Examples of partnerships include:

The Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) Core Group is Chaired by the Commissioners Team, providing leadership and strategic coordination to support a devolved model of 4 local VRUs across Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton. The VRU aims to prevent and tackle serious violence, taking a multi-agency, ‘public health’ approach focusing largely on early intervention and prevention. £880,000 has been allocated to the OPCC to manage the VRU with accountability from the OPCC to the Home Office. The Modern Slavery Partnership (MSP) has a specialist Co-ordinator working across the OPCC and Hampshire Constabulary. There are many organisations that have a responsibility to identify incidences of Modern Slavery and to support victims. The partnership ensures that agencies are aware of what each other do and work more effectively together as well as to raise awareness, pursue perpetrators and support victims of modern slavery. Restorative Justice (RJ) Joint Working Group is a multi-agency forum for statutory and nonstatutory sector partners who are committed to embedding RJ and restorative approaches across Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton. Partners recognise that RJ can meet the needs of victims in a way that the traditional Criminal Justice System cannot.

Statutory responsibilities in relation to the commissioning of services and working in partnership to reduce offending and support victims of crime and disorder.