Forgotten Families Sex Offenders’ Relatives 26 March 2014

1. Forgotten Families Sex Offenders’ Relatives 26 March 2014 March 2014 www.prisonersfamilies.org.uk

2. Partner support and intervention service Dominic Williams March 2014 www.prisonersfamilies.org.uk

3. Families of Prisoners SeminarPartner Support & Intervention Service March 2014 www.prisonersfamilies.org.uk

4. Why Group Work with Partners? • To reduce social isolation and stigmatisation through peer support • To rebuild trust • To reduce cognitive distortions • To improve problem-solving skills and help participants in resolving conflicts • To improve participants self-esteem and reinforce the concept of safety relating to appropriate boundaries and sensitivity to privacy. March 2014 www.prisonersfamilies.org.uk

5. Issues Arising During Assessment • Feeling hostile and antagonistic • Feeling judged and blamed • Own abuse histories (as child and adult) • Loss • Denial and minimisation March 2014 www.prisonersfamilies.org.uk

6. Partner ProgrammeAim: To assist in the reduction of risk to children where a parent has decided to remain with a convicted sexual offender or someone whose behaviour current or historic has given rise to concerns about childrens’ safety. March 2014 www.prisonersfamilies.org.uk

7. Services: • Partner Assessment : ‘Breaking the Cycle’ group work programme • 1-2-1 protective work with Partner • Volunteer Mentor Support Service • Offender Risk Assessments • Assessments and protective work with children • Psychological assessments • Professional counselling March 2014 www.prisonersfamilies.org.uk

8. A programme based on three principles: • Awareness - Increasing participants’ attentiveness and ability to recognise the symptoms of abuse in children • Information - Teaching participants about how sexual abusers operate – motivations, justifications and grooming techniques etc. • Support - Helping partners to develop their own appropriate social support network outside the family and reducing social isolation by offering fully-trained volunteer support where necessary March 2014 www.prisonersfamilies.org.uk

9. 20 hour programme to complement & enhance: • The Child Protection process • Child Protection assessment • Community Sex Offender Treatment • Offender Relapse Prevention Plans • Circles South East widening its role into family support March 2014 www.prisonersfamilies.org.uk

10. Topics covered in the programme include: • Defining the problem • How could he do this? • How did he do this? • Victim Awareness • Denial • The Better Lives Model March 2014 www.prisonersfamilies.org.uk

11. Assessment Outcomes: • The group member is capable of ensuring that her children are adequately protected in the future • The group member is capable of protecting her children if support is provided. (This will then facilitate HTVC providing volunteers to act as a family support while monitoring any further child protection issues) • This group member is unable to protect her children and therefore appropriate and relevant action should be initiated. March 2014 www.prisonersfamilies.org.uk

12. Volunteer Mentor Support Service • Rigorous Screening and Recruitment Process • Two day initial training with ongoing supplementary training • Regular support and supervision with Coordinator March 2014 www.prisonersfamilies.org.uk

13. Partner support and intervention service Dominic Williams March 2014 www.prisonersfamilies.org.uk