For those of you who missed our fantastic ‘Court in Time’ dissemination event here for your enjoyment are some of the highlights.
The event was held to celebrate the achievements of the first year of POPS court project, funded by the Department for Education. Read the full report here.
As well as highlighting the progress made, the event was a great opportunity to raise awareness of the issues that face families when attending court in support of a relative. Utilising the best of POPS creative talent the drama ‘Which Way Now?’ brought to life the challenges of the court environment through a tongue-in-cheek look at the court process. If you missed it you can watch the drama again thanks to Elysian Media who videoed the event.
One of the distinctive elements of the POPS court project is that it is delivered entirely by volunteers, overseen by a Regional Volunteer Coordinator. There are now over 80 trained volunteer family support workers operating across courts in Manchester, Tameside and Doncaster.
Our event concluded with an awards ceremony which recognised the contribution of the many volunteers who have played a part in the project over the first year. Court Volunteer of the Year was awarded to Lauren Middleton for her commitment and dedication to the role.
Find out more about the court project by visiting our Court page.
Children, young people and families are a key national priority. POPS ‘continuum of care’ model promotes consistent joined-up family support services, understanding that families themselves may require support to become a positive and constructive influence. The process of identifying families with support needs must begin at the point of arrest and sentence. The court environment provides a valuable engagement opportunity but has been widely overlooked in a system focused on offender outcomes.