Havering Offender Service

Havering Offenders Service aims to enable offenders, and those at risk of offending, to secure and remain in accommodation and reintegrate into the local community.

• Aims
• Referral Criteria
• Service Delivery
• More information

Havering Offenders Service Aims

HOS works within a harm minimisation framework and a recovery and strengths model. The service also aims to:

• Assist clients to access and sustain education, training and employment opportunities.
• Facilitate access to appropriate specialist services, such as drug treatment or mental health services
• Stabilise and reduce risky and harmful behaviour
• Ensure that clients have access to primary healthcare services
• Develop clients practical living skills
• Assist in accessing welfare benefits entitlements, including housing benefit.

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Havering Offenders Service Referral Criteria

This service is for:

• Offenders or people at risk of offending
• Havering residents - either living in the community (in any tenure including of no fixed abode) or in custody.
• People aged 18 or above.
• People who don’t have primary support needs based on their ability to sustain independent living

Referrals into the accommodation-based service will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Priority will be given to clients who are assessed as being able to move on into permanent accommodation within 6- 12 months.

Referral to the service can be made through any agency in Havering or on a self-referral basis. Likely sources of referrals are:

• Drug and alcohol workers in treatment services.
• Community mental health teams
• Probation officers or DIP workers.
• Homes in Havering advice workers.
• Community safety teams.
• The police service.

Referrals to the accommodation service must be made on an SHP referral form.Referrals to the other services can be made on an SHP or existing agency paperwork, such as OASys, NTA or triage forms.

Self-referrals can be made by telephone or at SHP surgeries run at the probation service. It is advisable to contact to the service prior to making a referral in order to ensure the service can meet the needs of the potential referral.

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Havering Offenders Service Delivery

The service comprises three distinct elements:

• Accommodation-based service: providing housing support on a transitional basis to clients living in five self-contained flats
• Floating support: for vulnerable people in the borough, including those preparing to move into or out of the above five flats
• Housing advice and signposting: structured housing related support is not considered appropriate.

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More about Havering Offenders Service

As part of its overall aim to help client maintain their tenancies, licenses or orders and live independently and inclusively in the community, staff support clients by:

• Addressing the housing support needs of offenders, and those who are at risk of offending or re-offending, on release from prison, or inappropriately housed in the community.
• Providing tailored support to each service user on an individual basis in order to maximise their chances of integration into the community and minimise their chances of offending
• Encouraging offenders to uphold the conditions of their licence or order
• Participating in and promoting interagency working
• Delivering the service in a flexible manner which takes into account clients' racial and cultural backgrounds and respects individual dignity and privacy
• Responding to the changing needs of individual clients
• Forming an intervention component of a multi-agency brokerage approach as outlined in the NOMS offender management model
• Encouraging independence by building the confidence and self esteem of clients

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