Carer Carol Tells Us About Her Experience of the CJLD Team SEPT is one of 10 Trusts across the country who successfully bid to run a pilot of a new scheme aimed at supporting people with vulnerabilities, mental health issues and other factors, who go into custody. Now more than two years on, the Criminal Justice Liaison Diversion Team (CJLD) is ‘a part of the furniture’ at three police stations and has a presence in courts across a large part of the county. Rebecca Green, one of SEPT’s Community Psychiatric Nurses, joined the scheme in April 2014, soon after it began. She explained how people are referred to the service by custody officers or court staff having been identified as vulnerable due to alcohol or substance misuse, learning difficulties, mental health issues or because they are homeless. “People can be referred to us for all sorts of reasons. The first aim is to ensure people get the help they need quickly so they are not left in custody for longer than they need to be. “We meet with them very early on, identify their needs, offer them immediate help
“They spoke to us as though we were fellow human beings. I felt they really understood our situation. They were very helpful in telling us what help is available and where to go to access more information.” and signpost them to further support, with the ultimate aim that they do not come return to the criminal justice system. “We hand-hold them to their initial meetings and then signpost them to further services.” Members of the team are based at custody suites at Southend, Basildon and Grays from 07.00 to 22.00 seven days a week. They mainly meet clients when they are taken into custody. If it is found they have severe mental health needs, they may go to hospital, explained Rebecca
“If they go to court, we provide the court with a report and as much background information as possible. “People we meet may already be well known to SEPT and have had their mental health issues fully identified so we liaise with their doctors. We also often see people who have never have received a formal diagnosis or had their needs picked up on before. It is our role to obtain an appointment with a medical professional for an assessment as soon as possible.” Members of the CJLD team also sit in the south Essex magistrates courts five days a week and drop into Chelmsford magistrates on Saturdays to meet people who need their support. Staff from the Child and Adolescent Mental Health services also form part of the team as the service covers all ages, and a psychiatrist works out of a magistrates court one afternoon a week to see offenders who need a report. Rebecca admits when the service started there was some trepidation from police as to their role. “When we began we under took a lot of education work with the police about how to pick up on people’s needs, and getting a feel for what might not be quite right with a person they arrest. “The service was brand new and we were not sure how it would go. But officers have accepted us completely. We are part of the furniture at the police stations and officers come and look for us if we can’t immediately be found. We are now very busy with referrals from custody and courts. “I hope they think we take on some of their work and find us a valuable addition.”
vulnerable people and give them support they require so that they do not come back into the custody suite. “We are still fairly new and are evolving and changing as a service. No one knew how it would work when it began. But I think we will grow and develop.” ONE person who has seen the benefits of the Criminal Justice Liaison Diversion Team first-hand is Carol Eves. She found them a great help and support to not only her son but also herself. Carol, a carer to her son in his early 30s, came across the CJLD team when her son was arrested. She explained: “My son’s behaviour is drinkrelated. If he gets upset he does not know how to handle it as he lives in his own world.
“The first aim is to ensure people get the help they need quickly so they are not left in custody for longer than they need to be.” fellow human beings. I felt they really understood our situation. They were very helpful in telling us what help is available and where to go to access more information. “I cannot praise them highly enough. I had previously found it very hard to access information and these are the only people who have really helped.”
“He kept getting into trouble. When he came home one time from the police station he had been given a card with team’s number on it and I rang them.” Carol had strong suspicions that her son’s behaviour was not typical of men his age and the team enabled him to meet with doctors who provide a formal diagnosis of autism. Carol said: “When they saw him in custody the nurse could tell he was autistic but it took an expert to recognise it. “The team were wonderful. They came round to our house to talk to my husband and I and my son at length. They attended court with him and even accompanied him to an AA meeting. “They spoke to us as though we were
Following the success of the pilot schemes, teams are being introduced across the country. Rebecca said: “I like to think because we are supporting people we are minimising the chances of them re-offending. “It’s about getting people to put support in their life to stop them from doing things that will get them into trouble. We aim to identify
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