Veterans WORLD 8 - Features

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Supporting Veterans in Custody
A recognised best practice is helping ex-Service offenders at HMP Everthorpe.

Veterans in Custody Support (VICS) is a swift identification and support service provided within HMP Everthorpe, working alongside Offender Management and Information Advice and Guidance (IAG) functions.

How it works

When an ex-Service offender is identified by IAG staff (usually within the first week of being allocated to HMP Everthorpe) they are issued with a comprehensive pack of support information to assist with the veteran’s resettlement and return into the community on release. The VICS coordinator is also notified of their arrival.

The coordinator will then make contact with the veteran and offer support, signposting and referrals into SSAFA Forces Help, The Royal British Legion, Combat Stress, SPVA and other support services such as the Regular Forces Employment Association.

The organisations then utilise special Prison visits to carry out full assessments of the veteran’s needs, which is fed back to the VICS coordinator. The information is then passed to the Offender Supervisor and in turn, the community Offender Manager for their information and inclusion in the veteran’s resettlement plans, if appropriate.

Assistance and advice is offered on issues such as accommodation, retraining and vocational skills grants, health and mental health welfare support, employment support, financial advice, family support for the veteran’s dependants, Armed Forces pensions and many other resettlement problems which the veteran may have.

Nick Wood, coordinator at Everthorpe explains the importance of VICS, “This is a unique service to this group of offenders and one that is offered to all veterans, regardless of length of service in HM Armed Forces.

By working together we play a major part in assisting the veteran and Criminal Justice System with rehabilitation of offenders and reducing the risk of re-offending by addressing resettlement needs. The organisations involved offer real and practical support for veterans who have served their country, many of whom have served in recent and current theatres of operation.” A recognised best practice is helping ex Service offenders at HMP Everthorpe.

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VICS has been recognised as a best practice by the MOD Prison in Reach Project and National Offender Management System (NOMS). Now, Michael Spurr Chief Operating Officer NOMS, and Major GeneralMathew Sykes Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Personnel) have contacted all governors to consider utilising the VICS service for veterans in their care.

Pat Mitchell, from SPVA’s Leeds Veterans Welfare Office explains her involvement in the initiative. . .

“I have been able to build a good working relationship with Nick Wood (HMP Everthorpe) so that he can refer a case to me or raise a particular query on a case. If a welfare visit is wanted, then that can be arranged. Subsequent visits by myself and a colleague have resulted in a War Disablement Pension being awarded. I’ve found the work rewarding, we’re able to reach a group of veterans who don’t always know about SPVA and the help we can provide. I’ve also been really impressed by the initiatives taken forward by Nick, which includes identifying ex-Service people on admission and giving them an information pack which includes details about us, as well as the ex-Service organisations, so the support can start early whilst they are still serving their sentence.“

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