CHILDREN
AFFECTED BY
PARENTAL
IMPRISONMENT
ESSEX CAPI
SERVICE
Children Affected by Parental Imprisonment
ESSEX CAPI Service
Background

Essex CAPI service established in October 2013

It supports children, young people and families affected by
parental imprisonment or offender behaviour. The service also
works with detainees and their families when they are serving
their sentence at the Military Correction Training Centre (MCTC)
Colchester.

Support is provided in schools through one to one or group work,
families homes and in the community.

Partnership working is key to its success and we work with a
broad range of agencies including Schools, Early years settings,
Health teams, Police, Probation services, DWP, Family Solutions
and Social Care.
Children Affected by Parental Imprisonment
ESSEX CAPI Service
Funding

Essex CAPI Service is funded by Barnardo's
Voluntary Funds strategic business plan.

Limited funding initially. Service worked creatively
in a cluster model to offer an effective and
meaningful service across Essex.

Internal and external funding is vital to ensure the
service can continue and expand.
Children Affected by Parental Imprisonment
ESSEX CAPI Service
Original aims of the service were:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
To establish a referral pathway to enable professionals to refer
children, young people and their families for support in the home,
school or community
To establish strong links and provide services and projects at the
MCTC and within prisons including HMP & YOI Chelmsford and
Holloway.
To establish a Steering Group, to enable professionals to discuss
services, gaps in provision, data sharing and to work with local
boards including Essex County Council and Children’s Partnership
Board.
To provide training and resources to professionals to raise awareness
of the effects on families and in particular children and young
people.
To develop a robust and meaningful outcomes/outputs system that
demonstrated clear achievements and changes for service users.
Children Affected by Parental Imprisonment
ESSEX CAPI Service
Family Support and Referral Pathway

The Essex CAPI Service referral pathway enables agencies
to share information and joint cases.

Over 175 self and agency referrals to date. Over 160
children and young people supported.

Group and one to one supported provided

‘Whole family’ approach.

Variety of support from ‘telling the children’ and
preparing them for their first visit to intensive work
around sexual abuse cases.

Referring agencies include Family Solutions, CAMHS,
Health, Schools, Early Years settings, Children’s Centres,
MARAC meetings, HMP Chelmsford, Probation, Ormiston
Family Trust and self referrals.
Children Affected by Parental Imprisonment
ESSEX CAPI Service
Supporting HMP establishments

Partnership working with agencies who provide
services for offenders.

Induction talks and co-delivery of workshops at
HMP & YOI Chelmsford and HMP Holloway
resulting in referrals for community support for
families.

Referrals from HMP establishments.

Attendance at Library days when
families attend to promote service.
Children Affected by Parental Imprisonment
ESSEX CAPI Service
Military Correction Training Centre Colchester
(MCTC)
The Essex CAPI Service offers a range of support for detainees
including:


Fortnightly talks with detainees around family advice and
support
CAPI staff co-plan and deliver family days at the
establishment
Future plans include:
 Joint parenting courses for detainees
 Referral pathway for detainees when sentenced to
imprisonment at HMP Chelmsford and other
establishments
 Opportunities to apply together for funding to offer
further services
Children Affected by Parental Imprisonment
ESSEX CAPI Service
Multi Agency Steering Group meetings

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Multi-agency Steering Groups bring together professionals to
discuss current services for families, gaps in provision and
opportunities for joint support.
Two Steering Groups look at effective ways to gather and share
local data.
Information is shared across agencies and upwards to Essex County
Council, Essex Children’s partnership Board and local Safe Guarding
teams.
Joint funding applications for expanding of the service. i.e. Chelsea
project
Children Affected by Parental Imprisonment
ESSEX CAPI Service
Training courses for professionals

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‘Hidden Sentence’ courses
Since October 2013 CAPI has delivered 25 courses with over 380
professionals attending
Follow on training sessions provided to further support
professionals who work directly with children
‘Bespoke workshops’ and courses written to suit individual agencies
needs.
Team manager also works for I-Hop and promotes the service
locally and nationally.
Children Affected by Parental Imprisonment
ESSEX CAPI Service
Involving Children and Young People
Children and young people asked for their views on the type of
support they would like to receive
 Consulted on the development of their action plan and what they
want to achieve
 Have the opportunity to be listened to and heard without feel of
being judged.
 Courses written and delivered in schools which enable young
people to share their thoughts and feeling and views of offender
behaviour.
Future Plans for children and young people:
 A book and other resources designed and written
by children and young people for other children
experiencing a parent in prison.

Children Affected by Parental Imprisonment
ESSEX CAPI Service
Other services provided
Court

Work with the local Crown Court and Magistrate courts to look at
support for families, young people and children when attending court.
Continue to promote CAPI services at court and engage with local legal
teams

Deliver further workshops for Judges and other court staff early 2016 in
Colchester and Harlow. The service has already delivered workshops to
18 judges and court staff at Chelmsford and Basildon Crown Courts.
Single Point of Contact (SPOC) and Charter

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SPOC are responsible for raising awareness of the needs and issues
children, young people and their families face when they have someone
in prison and also the contact these families when they are seeking
advice and support.
Continued expansion of the SPOC programme and the ‘sign up’ of more
professionals who have been designated as the SPOC within their own
service, school or agency. 35 agencies, schools and Children’s Centres
are currently part of the SPOC
More agencies promoting and displaying the Essex CAPI Charter.
Children Affected by Parental Imprisonment
ESSEX CAPI Service
Future plans in discussion:

Children’s and Families service pathway with Ormiston
Families Trust and HMP Chelmsford offering communitybased support.

Closer partnership working with CRC teams and be part of
the ‘Preparing for Release’ with HMP establishments who
are part of the Transforming Rehabilitation programme.

Develop further the current ‘Whole Family Service’ funded
by Chelsea Community Football Foundation and
Police Crime Commissioner.

Seek funding to offer group based sessions for young
females (12-16yrs) at risk of offending behaviour
and CSE
Children Affected by Parental Imprisonment
ESSEX CAPI Service
Questions
South East and Anglia Services
Children Affected by Parental Imprisonment
ESSEX CAPI Service
Contact the Essex CAPI
Service:
01255 688467 or
[email protected]
South East and Anglia Services