Decision Log 054/2020 – Coronavirus support fund – Women In Prison

Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey – Decision Making Record

Report Title: Coronavirus Support Fund

Decision number: 054/2020

Author and Job Role: Craig Jones – Commissioning & Policy Lead for CJ

Protective Marking: OFFICIAL

Executive Summary: The PCC has made available an additional £500,000 to support existing providers with their additional costs caused as a direct result of the Covid-19 pandemic

Background

The following organisation has applied for assistance from the Coronavirus Support Fund;

Women in Prison – sum requested £22,240

Funding to reduce the WSC’s current Counselling waiting list and re-open the service to new referrals

The demand for counselling from the Women’s Support Centre (WSC) has always been high. To enable the service to respond to the increasing risk facing our clients due to Covid-19, and the demand on mental health services during and as a result of lockdowns, WSC need to increase their staff base accordingly and reach those already waiting, before the next wave.

WSC aim to reduce the current Counselling waiting list and re-open the service to new referrals by employing qualified, self-employed counsellors to deliver a fixed number of sessions. Due to high levels of trauma and complex needs faced by the women accessing this service and furthered by the impact of Covid-19, it is not always suitable for, or within the competencies of trainee counsellors to deliver on this.

The existing waiting time to receive counselling exceeds one year and funding this project would enable the service to timely and significantly reduce those waiting in need.

Recommendation:

That the Police & Crime Commissioner awards the sum requested to the above mentioned organisation totalling £22,240

Police and Crime Commissioner Approval

I approve the recommendation(s):

Signature: David Munro (wet signature on hard copy)

Date: 07/12/2020

All decisions must be added to the decision register.