We provide gender-responsive support to women currently involved in the criminal justice system, and those at risk of entering it.
Our support is trauma-informed, person-centred, and prioritises each woman’s unique experiences.
Since 2010, we have been committed to supporting women within the criminal justice system, and those at risk of entering it, in a gender-responsive way.
Women in contact with the criminal justice system have often experienced severe and multiple challenges in their lives including: poverty, unstable housing, poor physical and mental health, unstable relationships, and caring responsibilities – all of which can be exacerbated by prison. Experiences of domestic and sexual abuse, as well as childhood trauma, especially undermine women’s ability to lead fulfilling lives, increasing their vulnerability and likelihood of entering the criminal justice system.
60% of women in prison have experienced domestic abuse.
Source: Advance Charity
Everyone needs safe and stable housing, but up to half of women (Source: Women in Prison) who leave prison don’t even have settled housing to return to. Leaving prison can be especially distressing for those with little support, abusive partners, or those who have preexisting financial difficulties, or dependency issues.
Women are also overwhelmingly the primary carers of children and other adults, when women enter the criminal justice system it can be hugely disruptive and damaging to families and child development.
19 in 20 children have to leave their home when their mother goes to prison.
Source: Women in Prison
There is another way
Nottingham Women’s Centre supports women with the specialist practical and emotional support they need to live more stable lives, improving their mental health and giving them more opportunities for the their futures.
Our support also aims to deter women from getting swept back into crime and breaking the conditions of their license or probation.
We support women across the following areas:
- Employment, Training, and Education: Helping women remove barriers and increase skills to improve their employment prospects.
- Finances, Benefits, and Debt Services: Assisting women in overcoming financial challenges such as low income and debt, and improving financial security.
- Accommodation Support: Helping women find and sustain safe housing while preventing homelessness.
- Family and Relationships: Supporting women in building positive relationships and reducing reliance on harmful or negative relationships.
- Dependency and Recovery: Providing a range of substance misuse-related support to aid in recovery and long-term well-being.
- Emotional Well-Being and Social Inclusion: Offering lifestyle support to help women integrate into their communities and improve their mental health.
Our women’s justice services are only available for women on probation. If women who are on probation would like to receive support from Nottingham Women’s Centre they can speak to their probation officer and request this.
Between 2023-2024 we helped resolve over £25,000 of womens’ debts
Early intervention
Many women have shared that timely support could have helped them avoid involvement in the criminal justice system altogether.
This has led to the establishment of our New Changes project – a preventative casework programme that focuses on identifying the often intersecting and multiple challenges women face and supporting them to overcome these. We support women who need help with: housing issues, finances, work and training, substance use, family and relationships, social isolation, and more.
90% of the women our New Changes project has supported, reported an improvement in their needs.
Our Women’s Justice Services and New Changes projects are funded by the Ministry of Justice as part of a programme of support for women, aiming to prevent or reduce women’s involvement in the criminal justice system.
Wraparound support
Nottingham Women’s Centre also offers wraparound support to women. Over the years we’ve opened up shower facilities, a kitchen for women to cook in, and introduced access to a washing machine.
In 2023-2024 these facilities were used more than 200 times, providing access to basic necessities to the most vulnerable women.
We ensure that shower gel and fresh towels are always available, providing moments of comfort and welcome. We also have a store of food and hygiene items, such as period products, that women can access in times of crisis.
Some of the women using our space in this way may be street homeless, while others might be “sofa surfing” to avoid burdening friends or family. Some lack access to hot water due to issues with prepayment electricity meters, and others live in shared accommodation where they may not feel safe using communal bathrooms.
We respect womens’ privacy and do not inquire about their circumstances – creating a ‘no questions asked’ space that they can walk into without fear of judgement.
Our wraparound support is unfunded, but vital in fostering a safe, supportive space to help women meet their basic needs with dignity.
