Women’s Services
CFO provide women’s services both in custody and the community with relevant considerations taken in order to help female participants engage comfortably.
Women’s Services
CFO provide women’s services both in custody and the community with relevant considerations taken in order to help female participants engage comfortably.
Working alongside CFO
How CFO services can complement your work, without duplication, with dedicated support for each individual:
CFO and Women’s Services
CFO collaborate with a range of women’s services within custody and the community to evidence complementary working thus ensuring the best outcome for women accessing CFO provision.
Partners include the HMPPS Women’s Directorate (custodial and community), women’s commissioned rehabilitative services, charitable organisations as well as regional commissioned programmes for women.
Benefits for participants
CFO provisions ensure is gender informed and services for women are available and delivered in a safe space. CFO Activity Hubs can accommodate women-only sessions and activities co-created and chosen by the women that access the service.
CFO offer consistent staffing so that women are able to build relationships to support their rehabilitation journey.
Making a referral in your region
CFO commission services nationally, with providers and activities varying on a region-by-region basis. To make a referral to CFO in your local area, please click below.
You can also get in contact with your nearest CFO location to speak to them directly about what is available to your participants.
Claire*’s Story
New Dawn was a CFO Development Fund project in both the South East and East of England. Ran by Aurora, the project gave safety, support, advocacy, and empowerment to survivors of domestic abuse, sexual violence and stalking.
New Dawn sessions covered a variety of topics including positive changes, identifying controlling behaviour through letter writing, self-awareness, self-management and demonstrating good coping techniques. The group developed a sense of community and togetherness along their journey, being able to share their experiences in a comfortable space – for many, this was the very first time they were ever able to address these personal issues.
Claire* is a shining success story from the New Dawn project. She had suffered from an abusive relationship with her ex-partner and has a history of trauma and abuse from her adult relationships. This led to Claire* feeling anxious about joining the New Dawn group as she was concerned about how she would respond to group work and the subjects being talked through. Trusting the process, Claire* opted to take part.
As it was her first time in custody, the group presented Claire* the ideal space to address things she had never been able to previously.
Upon enrolment she scored 12 on the self-esteem scale and at the back end of the sessions, she improved her score to a 14 – just one point away from what would be considered the ‘normal’ range. Elsewhere, some participants have been recorded scoring up to 23 on the scale following the completion of the eight-week course.
Since her completion of the full programme, Claire* has gone on to become a wing representative as part of the prison council. She is determined to use her new-found voice to support others (especially those who have experienced domestic abuse) and influence positive change in the same manner she was able to as part of the New Dawn sessions.
What CFO services are available in my area?
Visit the CFO Delivery Map to find out