Support for offenders

The Starting Over Service works with men at point of arrest and upon entry to local prisons. 

Support for women is provided separately by the Minerva Project (from Advance).

Both services work with people living in Westminster and Kensington and Chelsea.

By focusing on the needs of service users, such as housing, drugs, alcohol, mental health, learning disabilities, employment and training, they work to reduce offending and protect the community. They work with service users throughout their time in custody and provide them with intensive support to resettle them into the community upon release.

Service users sentenced to under 12 months in prison are eligible for these services. Those leaving prison after longer sentences continue to be supervised in the community by the national probation service. 

Other information and advice

Unlock is an independent charity which provides information, advice, training and advocacy, dealing with the ongoing effects of criminal convictions.

Only Connect is a crime prevention charity providing a positive community - including training, support and creative opportunities - for young people at risk, prisoners and ex-offenders.

The NACRO Resettlement Advice Service provides extensive advice to people with criminal records on the law, employment issues and more. You can contact their helpline as follows:-
Tel:- 020 7840 1212
Email:- helpline@nacro.org.uk

The  National Appropriate Adult Network is a charity which helps children, young adults and people who are mentally vulnerable being arrested or interviewed by the Police by providing a network of Appropriate Adults to look after the interviewee's interests.

Caring For Prison Leavers aims to reduce reoffending by reintegrating ex-offenders into society through the local church.  They provide people attending local churches with training and advice to enable them to support ex-offenders to live transformed lives.

Bounce Back is a charity and social enterprise focussed on training and employment of ex offenders.

The National Prisoners’ Families Helpline offers lots of information about what to expect if a member of your family is arrested, has to go to court, or is remanded in custody.