Surrey Women’s Support Centre – Women’s Checkpoint Navigator
17th January 2025
Version control
Version number
Date
Author
Comments
001
15/01/25
George Bell
Overview
Name of product under development or review
Women’s Checkpoint Navigator – Surrey Women’s Support Centre
Description of the product
In collaboration with Surrey Police, the Women’s Support Centre Surrey (WSC) have recruited a Women’s Checkpoint Navigator to provide specialist casework for women referred to the Checkpoint scheme. The staff member will provide a trauma-informed, person-centred approach to victim led, restorative justice, via the Checkpoint process. While holding cases and providing the specialist support for female clients in Surrey, the Women’s Navigator builds a trusted rapport with clients increasing engagement and reducing the chances of reoffending, due to the right support being in place. Support would include client engagement with health services including drug and alcohol treatment; accessing appropriate housing; support around domestic abuse and control; and signposting internally and externally according to need. Following the Checkpoint intervention, the Navigator would aim to signpost or refer clients into other services operating from the Women’s Support Centre, when needed and/or appropriate. These include a Recovery Service, Domestic Abuse Service, Mentoring and Counselling and multiple groups and courses. The Checkpoint scheme, Surrey’s deferred prosecution scheme for non-indictable only offences was introduced in 2019 for all eligible adults in Surrey. The basis of the scheme is a program which aims to reduce the number of victims of crime by reducing reoffending with targeted interventions. At the point there is sufficient evidence to conditionally caution or charge an individual, if they are eligible, the officer must refer into the scheme. The case will then be reviewed, sometimes with partner agencies for some offences, and decide an appropriate outcome. This review takes part in the weekly Joint Decision-Making Panel. The panel is made up of Police, mental health services, the Women’s Support Centre, and with a specialist homeless support worker. If the case goes to a Checkpoint outcome, an in-depth needs assessment that looks behind their offending to the reasons why they offend. The victim is also spoken to, and their views are taken into consideration, including any conditions they would like to put in the Checkpoint contract. The Checkpoint contract will have two fixed conditions, not to offend during the term of the contract and to engage in Restorative Justice if appropriate. The conditions to make amends to the victim are then added, this may be financial, work in the community, an apology or similar. They will also have conditions to support them not to offend again. Additionally, there is a Checkpoint Plus element to the scheme. Checkpoint Plus includes offenders with multiple disadvantage. This cohort of offenders will have an enhanced eligibility criteria including accepting offenders with numerous previous convictions. The cohort includes female offenders, including domestic abuse offenders, care leavers, and those who are homeless. The Checkpoint Plus has been extended to men with three of the four following disadvantages: mental health, substance use, homelessness, or contact with the criminal justice system. The specialist Women’s Navigator at the Women’s Support Centre is one of these interventions. The WSC supports women dealing with abuse, discrimination, trauma, homelessness, financial difficulties, and those navigating the criminal justice system via a trauma-informed, client-led approach. The Checkpoint scheme has a reoffending rate of around 6% and has proven to protect the community by reducing crimes.
EIA start date
15/01/25
EIA author and role
George Bell – Criminal Justice Policy & Commissioning Officer, Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey
EIA owner and role
Craig Jones – Policy & Commissioning Lead for Criminal Justice, Officer of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey
Date of last review
Date of next review
15/01/26
Key product development dates
To evidence PSED compliance, equality and inclusion must be considered throughout the life cycle of a product. You can do this by integrating EIA reviews into key product development stages. List your product’s key stages and the dates you will review your EIA here.
Key stage
Date
Publication
15/01/25
12 month review
15/01/26
Research and evidence
To undertake effective equality assessment that meets PSED compliance standards, you must work from an evidence base. Use this section to list the research you will use to understand the product’s potential or actual equality impacts (for example, surveys, customer feedback, protected characteristic data, academic research).
Surrey Women’s Support Centre Annual & Quarterly reporting
Surrey Police Checkpoint Scheme reporting
Out of Court Resolution Data report June 2024 (Surrey Police)
NPCC Out of Court Disposal National Strategy 2022-27
Female Offender Strategy Delivery Plan 2022-25 (MOJ)
Baroness Corston’s report – Women with Vulnerabilities in the Criminal Justice System (Corston, 2007)
Why Women’s Centres Work: An Evidence Briefing (2018)
Surrey Women’s Support Centre Information Leaflet (womensupportcentresurrey.org.uk)
Census 2021 Surrey data
Consultation record
Stakeholder consultation will give you a better understanding of your product’s impacts and is crucial to satisfying the PSED requirements. Use this section to record the engagement you have undertaken; summarise the feedback received and note subsequent actions. This section can also be used to record nil returns.
Name of group or organisation
Date of contact
Date reply received
Feedback
Action taken or reason why no action was taken
Surrey Police
19/12/2023
21/12/2023
Women’s motivation for offending is different and often linked to vulnerabilities, this role will help women by coordinating the support they need and should deliver on 2 of the 4 priorities within the Female Offender Strategy Delivery Plan 2022 – 2025: Fewer women entering the justice system and reoffending, and fewer women serving short custodial sentences with a greater proportion managed successfully in the community.
Approval of funding for the post was recommended.
Guildford Action
August 2024
August 2024
Learning from the Checkpoint Homelessness Navigator role employed – applying to this service’s role.
The Navigator has been an integral part of the Checkpoint Team since her arrival. She also assists other navigators with homelessness issues as well.
Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey.
19/12/2023
19/12/2023
The Navigator role is integral to the delivery of Checkpoint Scheme for Surrey Police. It is drawing on the strength of specialist independent women-centred services to ensure delivery is trauma-informed and benefits from the added value that the wider Women’s Support Centre provision brings.
Approval of funding for the post was recommended.
General considerations
Use this section to note any general diversity, equality and inclusion activities or considerations that are relevant to the product. Please only document general considerations here. Protected characteristic analysis can be completed in the section below.
Women in contact with the criminal justice system are amongst the most vulnerable in society. Many experience trauma, domestic abuse, mental health problems or have a history of alcohol and drug misuse. Factors that can lead men and women to commit crime, and to reoffend, can vary significantly. An approach that takes account of the different needs and backgrounds of women is most effective in addressing their offending behaviour (MOJ 2023).
The Women’s Support Centre Surrey works with women whose lives are affected by the Criminal Justice system. Both those who have served a sentence and those that are in contact with, or at risk of being in contact with, the Criminal Justice system. The centre is based in Woking in Surrey.
The project workers at the Centre support their clients to recognise and address their needs with the aim of reintegrating back into the community and leading a more stable life.
Staff from the centre work with police partners to deliver the Checkpoint diversion scheme to women who have been arrested (there are certain offences that are excluded) across Surrey. Women complete a holistic needs assessment, and then complete a series of sessions relating directly to the offence and any underlying issues that contribute to offending behaviour and wellbeing.
Impact assessment and actions
Apply learning from research, consultation and project knowledge to consider equality considerations relevant to your project. This should include any potential or actual impacts (positive or negative), as well as how the project will uphold the three PSED aims for each of the protected characteristics.
Eliminate discrimination, harassment and victimization.
Advance equal opportunity.
Foster good relations between people of different characteristics.
If you have identified a negative impact, note what mitigating action will be taken to reduce or eliminate that impact. If no mitigating action can be taken, please explain why. The issues or impacts identified may change, or new factors may emerge, as your project develops. Use the EIA to document these and how your project has evolved to accommodate equality considerations.
Don’t forget to consider intersectionality. This refers to when characteristics overlap to shape experiences of inequality and discrimination. For further information, please refer to the ‘Addressing Intersectionality within Policing’ report.
Duplicate the boxes below if required. If you need further information about a protected characteristic, open the webpage linked to each subtitle.
All characteristics
Details of positive and/or adverse impact or other issue
Each characteristic is examined as below. This specific service and role is for female offenders, and therefore by definition some characteristics will not apply in the same context in this assessment. This role is for a Women’s Checkpoint Navigator, working with the Women Support Centre in Surrey. The Checkpoint and Checkpoint Plus schemes are open to both men and women however, depending on eligibility and offences.
Mitigating action for any adverse impact or rationale for no further action
Numerous evaluations and studies of the work of Women’s Centres more generally have highlighted a range of benefits and positive outcomes for women accessing them. There are also reported benefits for the wider health, social care and criminal justice systems and evidence that Women’s Centres are both preventative and cost effective. Women’s Centres provide information, advice, support and training or education in safe, women-only spaces. Many women accessing Women’s Centres face multiple challenges, and their work therefore covers a wide range of issues such as health, violence and abuse, employment, education, rights, and criminal justice issues. Services and activities provided by Women’s Centres vary according to the needs of their community (Why Women’s Centres Work: Evidence Briefing).
Details of positive and/or adverse impact or other issue
The specialist Women’s Checkpoint Navigator is only available to female offenders aged 18 years or over.
Mitigating action for any adverse impact or rationale for no further action
No further action needed due to the very definition of the schemes in place, and the alternatives available. The wider Checkpoint scheme is open to any adult (18 years or above). The scheme accepts referrals from a range of age groups. In April to June 2024, 26% of cases referred into the Out of Court Resolution Hub (which covers out of court resolutions for Checkpoint & conditional cautions) were for those aged 18-25. The next largest cohort was those aged 34-41 with 20% of referrals (Out of Court Resolution Data Surrey Police). Surrey Police and Surrey Youth Service deliver a similar scheme for all young people. These include the Youth Restorative Intervention, Youth Deferred Prosecution, and Community resolutions.
Details of positive and/or adverse impact or other issue
One consideration is the Surrey Women’s Centre is based in Woking in Surrey. The centre does cover the totality of Surrey. It is worth noting the distance needed to travel could be challenging from more remote areas of Surrey. These challenges can be exacerbated by disability or neurodiversity. Additionally, disability or neurodiversity may add additional barriers for the individual to even feel they can access the women’s centre support.
Mitigating action for any adverse impact or rationale for no further action
The Women’s Centre approach is underpinned by a commitment to enabling women’s empowerment through holistic, participatory approaches that see each woman as a whole person and provide support for the multiple and varied needs of each individual (Why Women’s Centre Work: Evidence Briefing). The women’s support centre in Surrey itself is accessible by wheelchair and meeting rooms are all on the ground floor with level access. The Navigator is a mobile resource and can travel to any part of the county. Nonetheless there are still concerns if an individual cannot access the centre and the full resources on offer there. This may be worthy of further review and engagement with the Women’s Support Centre. The Office of the Police & Crime Commissioner are supportive of this further work to increase the scope of the women’s support centre as a Surrey-wide service.
Details of positive and/or adverse impact or other issue
The specific service and role of the Women’s Navigator is to work with female offenders. Women’s Centres provide information, advice, support and training or education in safe, women-only spaces. Many women accessing Women’s Centres face multiple challenges and their work therefore covers a wide range of issues such as health, violence and abuse, employment, education, rights, and criminal justice issues. For context, across Surrey, there were responses from 921,833 residents (94.79% of the population aged 16 years and over). 94.42% of residents answered “Yes”, indicating that their gender identity was the same as their sex registered at birth. 0.37% of residents answered “No”, indicating that their gender identity was different from their sex registered at birth. Within this group: 0.14% answered “No” but did not provide a write-in response, 0.08% identified as a trans man, 0.08% identified as a trans woman, 0.05% identified as non-binary, 0.03% wrote in a different gender identity. 5.21% did not answer the question on gender identity and therefore data for this group is unknown (Census 2021 Surrey data).
Mitigating action for any adverse impact or rationale for no further action
The Surrey Women’s Support Centre, following consultation with other centres, have agreed the following approach: They accept referrals from those who self-identify as a woman – standard process. They contact the client and ensure the service they are requesting is one that they can provide – standard process. If the client and staff agree they are able and best placed to offer support, they arrange to meet (face to face or virtually) – standard process. They will arrange the first meeting away from the Centre so they are able to ensure that no woman, attending the Centre could be traumatised by the presence of a man, self-identifying as a woman, at the Centre during the same time – parallel process. If they had a mother and daughter attending the Centre, they may also meet one of them off site. If someone cannot access the Centre, they could meet them off site. There are other reasons a meeting would be arranged off-site; these are not related to gender or identification. After meeting her, they would assess and discuss within the staff team, and if appropriate, with the client where it would be best to continue supporting her – parallel process. This follows a slightly different path to some other clients as depending on where she is on her journey, depends on whether they can invite her to the centre at certain times. This is where providing a person-led, individual service for all clients is important. All clients are offered choices and provided with an individually tailored support offer.
Details of positive and/or adverse impact or other issue
The Census 2021 classified a family as a group of people who were either: a married, civil partnered or cohabiting couple with or without children (the children do not need to belong to both members of the couple); a lone parent with children; a married, civil partnered or cohabiting couple with grandchildren but where the parents of those grandchildren were not present; or a single or couple grandparent with grandchildren but where the parents of those grandchildren were not present. Therefore, a multiple family household could include a household with more than one family living together (e.g., grandparents, parents, and dependent children) or a household where unrelated adults lived together. The most common type of single-family household were those with a married or civil partnership couple and dependent children (19.8% of all households). The second and third most common family type in Surrey were one person households, with 14% of Surrey households only containing one person aged 65 or under, and 13% containing only one person over the age of 65 (Census 2021 Surrey data).
Mitigating action for any adverse impact or rationale for no further action
Details of positive and/or adverse impact or other issue
The Women’s Support Centre are a women’s only service specialising in person-centred, trauma-informed care with female clients across Surrey. This inclusive service for women includes those in pregnancy.
Mitigating action for any adverse impact or rationale for no further action
The centre values the importance of providing a person-led, individual service for all clients. All clients are offered choices and provided with an individually tailored support offer.
Details of positive and/or adverse impact or other issue
Checkpoint is a deferred prosecution scheme aimed at individuals who have admitted to their offence. Black and minority ethnic people, due to a lack of trust in the criminal justice system, among other factors, are less likely to admit to an offence which would make themineligible for the scheme. There are additional barriers for women from some minority backgrounds to access services, especially if they’ve been a victim of crime and abuse. 80% of those who competed (male and female) Checkpoint/Checkpoint Plus cases between April and June 2024, self-identified as white. 4% identified as black/black British, 3% identified as mixed, 3% as Asian British, & 3% as Chinese/other ethnic group. Whereas 7% did not state their ethnicity (Out of Court Resolution Data Surrey Police). Approximately 77% of all Surrey residents (male and female) reported that they identified as White British in 2021, alongside 9% who reported that they were ‘White Other’. 14.5% of Surrey residents reported that they identified as non-White, with residents who identified as Asian made up the largest percentage of non-White population in Surrey (Census 2021 Surrey area).
Mitigating action for any adverse impact or rationale for no further action
Surrey Police have launched additional eligibility to access the Checkpoint Scheme from people who haven’t admitted to an offence. 67% of all non-admission referrals received between April and June 2024 (male and female), were White North European. 13% of these non-admission referrals were Asian, and 10% were black individuals (Out of Court Resolutions Data Surrey Police). Additionally, the Women’s Support Centre has reached out to women from minority groups through a local VCSE – Surrey Minority Ethic Forum (SMEF). Some groups of women experience greater inequality and marginalisation as a result of being both female and enduring the impacts of racism. Therefore, Women’s Centres’ services led by and for specific communities of women (such as black, Asian and minority ethnic women) are crucial. Women’s Centres are often able to reach women who would not otherwise engage with services, either in the public or third sectors.
Details of positive and/or adverse impact or other issue
The Checkpoint scheme and services provided by the Women’s Support Centre are inclusive of all religions and beliefs of all their clients. However, it is broadly recognised that women from some minority backgrounds are less likely to access services if they’ve been a victim of crime and abuse. More broadly in Surrey, 50.2% of all residents (males and females) are Christian, making it the largest religious group. 36.3% of all Surrey residents were of no religion. Non-Christian religions were reported by 7.0% Surrey residents, where Muslims represented 3.2% of Surrey residents (Census 2021 Surrey data).
Mitigating action for any adverse impact or rationale for no further action
Any barriers to this service in Surrey relating to the individual’s religion or beliefs will be monitored.
Details of positive and/or adverse impact or other issue
The specific service and role of the Women’s Navigator is to work with female offenders. Women’s Centres provide information, advice, support and training or education in safe, women-only spaces. Many women accessing Women’s Centres face multiple challenges, and their work therefore covers a wide range of issues such as health, violence and abuse, employment, education, rights, and criminal justice issues.
Mitigating action for any adverse impact or rationale for no further action
Surrey Police’s wider Checkpoint Scheme, as previously stated, is open to men and women in Surrey. In April to June 2024, 59% of cases referred into the Out of Court Resolution Hub (which covers out of court resolutions for Checkpoint & conditional cautions) were male, with 41% being female (Out of Court Resolution Data Surrey Police).
Details of positive and/or adverse impact or other issue
The Checkpoint Scheme and Women’s Support Centre services are inclusive to all individuals regardless of sexual orientation. These services recognise that sexual orientation can be a barrier to accessing services more broadly. Sexual orientation is an umbrella term covering sexual identity, attraction, and behaviour. For an individual respondent, these may not be the same. The statistics should be interpreted purely as showing how people responded to the question, rather than being about whom they are attracted to or their actual relationships. In total, 93.1% of all Surrey residents (males and females) answered the question. 90.66% of the Surrey population (aged 16 years and over) identified as straight or heterosexual. 1.17% described themselves as gay or lesbian, with 1.05% describing themselves as bisexual. 0.26% selected ‘Other sexual orientation’. The overall number of residents of Surrey who identified with an LGB+ orientation was therefore 2.48% (Surrey Census 2021 Surrey data).
Mitigating action for any adverse impact or rationale for no further action
An analysis of client data and identification of any barriers to access in relation to sexual orientation to be listed as an action in this document.
Socio-economic background
Our socio-economic background is a combination of different factors, such as our income, occupation and social background. A person’s socio-economic background can expose them to inequalities, so it’s important to understand how your project could affect different socio-economic groups. Further information about socio-economic status can be found in the Cabinet Office Measuring socio-economic background in your workforce guidance.
Details of positive and/or adverse impact or other issue
Globally, women are disproportionately affected by poverty, discrimination, inter-personal violence, and exploitation. Women have fewer economic assets than men and limited participation in influencing economic and social policies. Women also perform the bulk of childcare and household work and have less access to education and economic opportunities than men in their societies (UN Women). It is still the case that women in Britain are likely to earn less money than men, undertake certain kinds of paid work, enjoy less progression at work, have less freedom and leisure than men, spend more time caring for others (Why Women’s Centre’s Work: Evidence Briefing). The Women’s Support Centre is based in Woking but serves the whole of the county. There may be logistical and transportation barriers for some individuals to access these services.
Mitigating action for any adverse impact or rationale for no further action
Referrals to the Checkpoint Scheme and services provided by the Women’s Support Centre are funded by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, Surrey Police, Catalyst Ltd, and other income sources. There is not a financial barrier to accessing these services. The Women’s Support Centre does aim to support their clients with some costs to a certain extent. The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner of Surrey are supportive of working to increase the centre’s scope as a Surrey-wide service.
Other characteristics
Use this section to consider the PSED aims and any impacts your product may have on characteristics that are not protected under the Equality Act 2010 but are still significant to equality and inclusion. For example, your product may have a particular effect on people with caring responsibilities or on people with English as an added language, or you may need to consider the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011 in delivery. Think creatively and invite input from stakeholders.
Details of impact or other issue
Multiple Disadvantage For some women and girls these structural factors, combined with gendered life experiences, such as being a victim of violence, lead to extremely difficult lives. Women may be dealing with multiple issues at any one time, such as: homelessness, involvement in prostitution or sexual exploitation, mental health problems, domestic violence, drug and alcohol problems, and contact with the criminal justice system. The impact of violence against women and girls is both immediate and long-term: physical, mental, and social. Violence and abuse affect women’s well-being and prevents their full participation in society. It has consequences for their families and communities. It is women who experience the most extensive abuse and violence who are most likely to face other adverse circumstances such as poor mental and physical health, disability, substance dependence, poverty and debt, poor housing, and homelessness (Scott and McManus, 2016). Women facing such multiple disadvantage need services which understand the whole picture of these interrelated issues (Why Women’s Centres Work: Evidence Briefing).
Mitigating action or rationale for no further action
The Checkpoint Plus scheme focuses on the cohort of mainly women offenders with multiple disadvantage and includes intimate partner Domestic Abuse. Women complete a holistic needs assessment, and then complete a series of sessions relating directly to the offence and any underlying issues that contribute to offending behaviour and wellbeing. The scheme also accepts men with multiple disadvantage – three of the following 1) Mental Health 2) Alcohol and Drugs 3) Contact with the criminal justice system 4) Homelessness. These are usually men with entrenched issues such as long-term alcohol abuse who come into the criminal justice system regularly.
Action log
Record EIA actions and monitor action progress in the optional action log.
Further consultation needs to be undertaken for this working document. It would be appropriate to seek views from Surrey Probation and Women in Prison, among any other identified partners, and further in time from service users.
Examine data around the Youth Restorative Intervention and youth justice.
Explore what data is collected and held by the Women’s Support Centre itself when dealing with clients, including ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation etc.