Ms Jennifer Holly / ICT Client Unit (ICU)
Customer Transformation and
Communications Services
Information Team
Resources Department
7th Floor, Zone B
Bernard Weatherill House
8 Mint Walk
Croydon, CR0 1EA
SENT BY EMAIL /
Our Ref: F/CRT/10006734
Date: 08 May 2017

Dear Ms Holly

Freedom of Information Request

Your request has been considered under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act. Please accept my apologies for the delay in responding to your request. For ease of reference, I will address each of your questions in turn.

Dear Croydon Borough Council,

As part of a national project to map services for women experiencing multiple disadvantage, I would like to request the following information from your organisation:

1)What services are you currently commission specifically for women affected by:

Substance use problems

Public Health - Commissioners:

Martyn Penfold (),

Karen Handy ()

Mental health problems

Disability Commissioning:

Commissioners: () and Joint Commissioning Team: Jennifer Francis (),

Neil Turney ()

Homelessness

Gateway: Contact Greg Davies ()

Involvement in offending

Commissioner: Zena Josiah ();

Contact: Paula Doherty ()

2)For each type of service commissioned:

What organisation delivers the service and what are their contact details?

How many women can they support at any one time?

When does the current contract end?

In response to your below queries;

The latest % of women within the service is 32.8%- the national average is around 18%.

•Domestic abuse;

We have a women’s specialist worker- who is also IDVA trained and who works with women who access the Family Justice Centre (a multi -disciplinary team of social workers, housing, mental health professionals) or Domestic Abuse issues issues and provides the substance misuse interface for those with drug and alcohol needs.

This worker has up to 40 female clients on her caseloads who have needs including domestic abuse, social services involvement and safeguarding.

An additional worker facilitates the weekly women’s support group. This partnership work is ongoing and reviewed quarterly.

The IDVA and a CRN nurse attend the fortnightly pre-natal clinic for women with substance misuse issues The Maple Clinic based at CUH. Again we provide the substance misuse interface alongside the clinic’s midwives. Our most recent record was

•Criminal justice

Croydon Voluntary Action are subcontracted to deliver a service- The Women’s Court Worker Service based at Croydon magistrates. This is a pain member of staff one day a week and a number of volunteers. The service will link in with any women who have a history of offending, substance misuse and provide wrap around support through a number of voluntary agencies and other services. This service works closely with CRN’s court worker who leads on the DRR and ATR element of the service. This contract is ongoing and reviewed quarterly.

•Mental Health

We work in partnership with CMHT and have developed pathways for referrals and information sharing with the various teams based at Tamworth Rd and Purley resource center. There is nothing specific to females that we link clients in with.

We have good links with a number of voluntary mental health agencies- listed below. Open Minds has a dedicated women’s worker.

If you are dissatisfied with the way the Council has handled your request under the Freedom of Information Act you may ask for an internal review. This should be submitted to us within 40 working days of this response. You can do this by outlining the details of your complaint by:

Email:

Writing:Information Team

London Borough of Croydon

Bernard Weatherill House

Floor 7 - Zone B

8 Mint Walk

Croydon CR0 1EA

Any requests received after the 40 working day time limit will be considered only at the discretion of the council.

If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at:

Information Commissioner’s Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire, SK9 5AF

Yours sincerely

Ash Riaz

Information Coordinator

Croydon Council