CASS+ has been recognised as one of three examples of notable positive practice by His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons in a report published by HM Inspectorate of Prisons this year. Meeting His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons In March, members of our team in Exeter and Truro met the inspection team. This was…
This is Lizzie’s journey of navigating domestic abuse, breakup and family court. The breakup of a long-standing relationship is enough for anyone. But, for Lizzie*, there were multiple challenges in the family courts. In fact, she found herself at court 12 times over a two-year period. Lizzie’s journey demonstrates that with determination and the right…
CASS+ has welcomed the announcement by the Justice Secretary David Lammy, of an additional £247 million funding for the crown and magistrates’ courts. Three-year funding settlement We welcome the announcement of this extra funding for magistrates’ courts. This is a firm, three-year funding settlement. Ultimately, we hope this will give the justice system the…
We first met Rachel two years ago at a careers event at the University of Plymouth. This was a lightbulb moment for Rachel who picks up her story here: ‘After speaking to Chris at the stand, I could see in the charity why I had chosen to study Psychology with Criminology BSc. Intervention support services and community are…
Emily excelled as a volunteer in Exeter. We were sorry to say goodbye to her this summer, but we want to celebrate her achievements. As one of our graduate volunteers, Emily has now moved away to prepare for her Masters. We’re so proud of everything she achieved at Exeter Crown and County Court. Going…
Kelly has put the past behind. She has joined our team in Plymouth as a volunteer to help others who have been through similar experiences. Growing up in Peckham Growing up in Peckham was difficult. With ADHD, she was labelled naughty at school. She got in with the wrong crowd and ended up in…
This week, we’re sharing a day in the life of a social work placement. No two days are ever the same for Rebecca, our social work placement at Plymouth Magistrates’ Court. She is doing a 70-day placement, learning alongside our team. This work experience is building her skills and employability. Rebecca, undergraduate at the University…
Peter was at risk of losing everything Before arriving at our door in Exeter, Peter* was at risk of losing everything Like many, since the cost-of-living crisis, Peter has been living in his van. He is allowed to stay on his campsite pitch for only 28 days at a time. Without our support Without…
How to stay calm in court This month, we sought advice from the experts at local Step by Step Counselling College. Here, they share some top tips for anyone in crisis at court. Top tips from the experts The team at Step by Step Counselling College in Newton Abbot understands the challenges you face.…
Our family work is going from strength to strength. We’ve been inside the Magistrates’ Courts in Devon and Cornwall since 2005, but in August 2023, we expanded into the Family Courts. This is a short-term project until March 2025, the result of a grant from the Ministry of Justice and The Access to Justice Foundation.…
The Ministry of Justice has enabled us to extend our advice and support into family courts in Exeter, Newton Abbot, Plymouth, Bodmin and Truro until April 2025. We’ve been chosen for the innovative Improving Outcomes Through Legal Support Fund (distributed by The Access to Justice Foundation). As a result, families going through courts in Devon…
Elizabeth bounces back The CASS+ number was Elizabeth’s lifeline as she left her local police station. When the Police Officer offered to call us, she knew that this was something she needed to do herself. Our Coordinator encouraged her with regular phone calls and organised a face-to-face to support her from being very scared to…
Meet Shona, the CASS+ newbie at Newton Abbot Magistrates’ Court Shona’s extensive experience as an Appropriate Adult is proving invaluable. On top of this, she has a real passion to help others, especially when it comes to anyone trying to find their way through the Justice System. Shona hasn’t looked back since joining the…
We have been named as a flagship service in a new guide published by the Centre for Justice Innovation. We’ve been working with the Centre for Justice Innovation and our service was recently evaluated by Crest Advisory. The key evidence in the Crest Report (2022) is that we’re making a real difference because we’re in…