Through the Gate Support
Continuing support for participants as they transition from custody to community.
Engagement through-the-gate is a key aspect of CFO delivery, supporting participants to re-enter the community successfully. This includes a warm handover, pre-release contact with community CFO support workers and connection to mainstream services.
As participants leave custody there is an expectation that support they require will have been identified. This can take place within and across regions.
Through the Gate Support
Continuing support for participants as they transition from custody to community.
Engagement through-the-gate is a key aspect of CFO delivery, supporting participants to re-enter the community successfully. This includes a warm handover, pre-release contact with community CFO support workers and connection to mainstream services.
As participants leave custody there is an expectation that support they require will have been identified. This can take place within and across regions.
By engaging through-the-gate, participants experience benefits including:
Prevention from falling through gaps in support
Continuous
progression
No need to repeat
their story
Starting from
an advanced position
in community
Stronger relationships with community Support Workers
Focussed delivery that picks up on what was engaged with in custody
Pre-Release Inventory
CFO participants are regularly supported through-the-gate with pre-release inventories.
This inventory includes actions completed, progress achieved, goals and further support required, allowing them to progress quickly when entering the community. A meeting (either in-person or virtual) is also set up with the participant’s community Support Worker to ensure familiarity and encourage engagement following release.
Participants who engage through-the-gate are 7-8 times more likely to engage with a CFO Activity Hub within the first two weeks of release. They are also 12 times more likely to complete a community-based activity.
Make a referral
Making a referral to CFO is simple and easy, simply click below to access our referral form.
Donovan’s Journey
Due to the nature of his offence, Donovan* faced various challenges when first engaging with the CFO Discovery Wing at HMP Risley. He was very quiet and worried about being recalled due to a lack of understanding around his licence conditions, whilst also needing support with accommodation and employment.
He engaged with every session on the CFO Evolution programme, gaining an understanding of disclosure and quickly growing in confidence, often taking the lead and making notes for the group. His Support Worker helped Donovan* get in contact with his POM and COM to understand where he would be released to. Worries about being released into an Approved Premises were quashed, as his Support Worker learned that he would be able to return to his listed address, with a police check taking place on the property.
Following this, one-to-one sessions on restrictions were completed. These boosted Donovan’s* motivation and helped him to feel confident in avoiding a breach of licence. His Support Worker even contacted OMU at HMP Risley to ensure that Donovan* would be able to use his PlayStation in the community without breaching conditions – something which was causing a lot of confusion and worry.
Ready for his release, Donovan’s* Support Worker completed a pre-release activity to ensure that he could engage with CFO through the gate, with the Liverpool CFO Activity Hub ready to support him in the community. This made him less worried, confused and ready to succeed following release.
Speaking about his experience with CFO, Donovan* said: “Just to say a huge thank you for providing us with such an informative and incredible course. Your professionalism and caring approach to helping us is greatly appreciated. We both wish you great future successes with your course and hope it goes from strength to strength. Again, a huge thank you.”