History of CFO
Over 20 years of supporting participants and reducing reoffending.
History of CFO
Over 20 years of supporting participants and reducing reoffending.
The Legacy of CFO Funding
Since CFO was established in 2002, over £530m of external funding has been secured via the European Social Fund (ESF) to help reduce reoffending and aid the rehabilitative journeys of participants.
HMPPS used ESF money (and is supported by the Youth Employment Initiative), across the country to help prepare individuals for work or to engage with mainstream provisions.
The legacy of ESF support for HMPPS remains in the CFO Evolution programme, which commenced in 2024.
CFO1 (2010 – 2011)
CFO1 aimed at improving employability are seen as key to changing offenders’ lives and reducing reoffending. Delivered by NOMS Co-Financing Organisation, from January 2010 until December 2011, the CFO1 programme contributed to the Executive Agency’s overall aims of reducing re-offending by assisting ex-offenders to access mainstream services and employment opportunities.
During the first phase of the programme, NOMS received £50 million from the European Social Fund. The programme exceeded it targets consistently across all areas.
CFO Activity Hubs (2021 – 2024)
CFO Activity Hubs focussed on encouraging participants to engage in activities with three broad categories of focus: Human and Citizenship, Community and Social, and Interventions and Services.
They offered a safe space where participants could spend time in a warm setting or to engage in activities that helped to reduce reoffending.
The programme complemented existing mainstream resettlement arrangements without duplication of services and was a precursor to the CFO Evolution programme.
Prison Service Plus (PS Plus) (2002 – 2008)
The predecessor to CFO was PS Plus, which existed to enable participants to become employable through identifying and removing barriers so they could lead law-abiding lives in the community. PS Plus was a prison and community based service.
CFO2 (2011 – 2014)
The second phase of the CFO programme, with a value of £89 million, was delivered between January 2011 and December 2014. This phase of the programme saw an increased focus on harder-to-help and reached groups of offenders, including sex workers, ex-service personnel and young offenders in transition.
CFO3 (2015 – 2024)
CFO3 focused on those offenders who have difficulty accessing mainstream services currently available, being ‘hardest to help’ individuals.
CFO3 had a particular emphasis on social inclusion and employability. CFO3 focuses on participants who have difficulty accessing mainstream services currently available. It offered a through-the-gate service with a focus on preparation for employment whilst in custody, followed by training and employment in the community.
The programme was available in over 80 custody settings and was a precursor to the CFO Evolution programme.
The Legacy of CFO Funding
Since CFO was established in 2002, over £530m of external funding has been secured via the European Social Fund (ESF) to help reduce reoffending and aid the rehabilitative journeys of participants.
HMPPS used ESF money (and is supported by the Youth Employment Initiative), across the country to help prepare individuals for work or to engage with mainstream provisions.
The legacy of ESF support for HMPPS remains in the CFO Evolution programme, which commenced in 2024.
Prison Service Plus (PS Plus) (2002 – 2008)
The predecessor to CFO was PS Plus, which existed to enable participants to become employable through identifying and removing barriers so they could lead law-abiding lives in the community. PS Plus was a prison and community based service.
CFO1 (2010 – 2011)
CFO1 aimed at improving employability are seen as key to changing offenders’ lives and reducing reoffending. Delivered by NOMS Co-Financing Organisation, from January 2010 until December 2011, the CFO1 programme contributed to the Executive Agency’s overall aims of reducing re-offending by assisting ex-offenders to access mainstream services and employment opportunities.
During the first phase of the programme, NOMS received £50 million from the European Social Fund. The programme exceeded it targets consistently across all areas.
CFO2 (2011 – 2014)
The second phase of the CFO programme, with a value of £89 million, was delivered between January 2011 and December 2014. This phase of the programme saw an increased focus on harder-to-help and reached groups of offenders, including sex workers, ex-service personnel and young offenders in transition.
CFO3 (2015 – 2024)
CFO3 focused on those offenders who have difficulty accessing mainstream services currently available, being ‘hardest to help’ individuals.
CFO3 had a particular emphasis on social inclusion and employability. CFO3 focuses on participants who have difficulty accessing mainstream services currently available. It offered a through-the-gate service with a focus on preparation for employment whilst in custody, followed by training and employment in the community.
The programme was available in over 80 custody settings and was a precursor to the CFO Evolution programme.
CFO Activity Hubs (2021 – 2024)
CFO Activity Hubs focussed on encouraging participants to engage in activities with three broad categories of focus: Human and Citizenship, Community and Social, and Interventions and Services.
They offered a safe space where participants could spend time in a warm setting or to engage in activities that helped to reduce reoffending.
The programme complemented existing mainstream resettlement arrangements without duplication of services and was a precursor to the CFO Evolution programme.
CFO Evolution (2024 – Present)
CFO Evolution builds on the success of the CFO3 and CFO Activity Hub programmes. The learnings taken from these programmes have fed into the delivery model for CFO Evolution, including through-the-gate delivery.