Stewart Asken

I am an experienced Criminal Justice Social Worker where I managed risk associated with criminal behaviour and reduce the risk of re- offending. This involved the supervision of offenders in the community and assisting service users resettle into the community after custody.

I prepared reports for High Court and Sheriff Court prior to sentencing and to the Parole Board in consideration of release from custody. I am qualified to assess risk of offenders including sex-offenders and closely work with the Police and other appropriate services when managing risk with offenders in the community. I provided care management plans to support the needs of offenders and work on a one to one basis with them to challenge their offending behaviour and provide interventions to help reduce the risk of offending. I am accredited in the use of specific risk management tools; Level of Service/Case Management Inventory, Risk Matrix 2000 and Stable and Acute 2007 to ensure best practice in assessing risk. My work with supervision of offenders included delivering offence focused work and identifying other needs to address their offending behaviour and promote desistance. My work was person centred in line with the legal framework and the Scottish Government's National Outcomes and Standards in the Criminal Justice System. The work required developing an effective trusting relationship with the service user to enable to challenge their offending behaviour and show how it impacts on themselves, families and the community all victims of crime.I supervised a range of community orders and licences following disposals from the Courts and release from custody. The work was informed by the various needs associated with type of offending and the level of risk presented. This involved regular one to one supervision or identifying suitability for identified group work. The work involved working with different types of offending including violent and sex offenders and domestic abuse. The management of orders required the use of offence focus programmes that are utilised through one to one supervision that enable quality measurement of outcomes. Disclosure of information needed to be sensitive. Offenders are subject to regular reviews which I arranged and prepared reports for. I attended high risk management meetings, child protection meetings, Multi Agency Public Protection Meetings (MAPPA) in the community and Integrated Case Management Meetings and Risk Management Team meetings at prisons to contribute to the effective care management plans for prisoners prior to their release from custody.

I possess excellent communication skills that are essential to work with a challenging client group. In addition I displayed skills that are required in communicating effectively with other stakeholders including Prison Services, Social Work Services, NHS, Voluntary Services, ALEO’s, Police, Parole Board and the Courts. My work required having a working knowledge of the legal framework that underpins Social Work, Criminal Justice, Health, Law and Housing. I ensured good organisational skills to meet the demands of the work and provide effective time management. My Social Work skills are transferable that can enable my engagement with other areas of competence within areas of Social Work and other disciplines.

This position was involved in taking a strategic role to assess suitability of housing for convicted sex offenders, close liaison with Risk Management Authorities and Registered Social Landlords.

The introduction of MAPPA across Scotland, evolving from the Management of Offenders etc (Scotland) Act 2005 allowed development of this new position to focus on delivering a more strategic approach to housing convicted sex offenders in the community. This involved close work with partner agencies including Social Work, Landlords, NHS and Police. The work responded to disclosure of concerns and risks at attendance at Multi Agency Public Protection Meetings. My initial role was in developing a framework for assessing and managing the risk posed by offenders. This was guided by a collaboration of partners signed up to a Statement of a Best Practice. It involved working with and challenging accommodation providers - Registered Social Landlords to make suitable accommodation available. The work included mapping out accommodation of sex offenders and conducting environmental scans, highlighting risk. The work required close working partnership with a range of skilled professionals; social workers supervising offenders in the community at Glasgow's Clyde Quay Project, Police authorities responsible for management of registered sex offenders in the communities and other key partners such as health professionals. As this was a new position at the time I had responsibilities of working closely with the MAPPA Co-ordinator in Glasgow and in the development of structures to ensure effective management and practice in the responsibility of information sharing and seeking appropriate accommodation for sex offenders in the community.

I managed a team of support workers assisting people affected by homelessness and took a lead role with development and expansion of the service.

I was the Resettlement Manager in a partnership project between YMCA Glasgow and Barnardo’s, delivering services in South Lanarkshire. I initially joined the South Lanarkshire Rough Sleepers Initiative as a support worker and after a couple of years progressed to becoming the Resettlement Manager. I assisted the development of the service as it expanded and became the South Lanarkshire Resettlement and Support Initiative reflecting the broader range of supports the project was delivering.

My duties involved managing a team of support workers delivering care packages to vulnerable service users. I had budget responsibilities, staff supervision, disciplinary, conditions of service and staff development and appraisals responsibilities. I helped develop the service by providing presentations at team meetings and to partner agencies and elected members. I provided reports to stakeholders and was accountable for service delivery to the overarching organisation. I was the registered manager for the project with the Care Commission and ensured standards were adhered to. I produced regular outcomes from evaluation of the service and monitored this. I was involved in helping establish a Rent Deposit Scheme within the project which enabled vulnerable service users, access accommodation through the private sector. A key component of this work was evidencing my leadership qualities that included providing link work for Social Work students on placement at the project and targeting training and development needs for the staff I managed. I was able to forge good relationships with partner agencies and accommodation providers to help improve the lives of services users who continued to face many obstacles due to the complexities surrounding their reasons for being homeless.

I managed a team of support staff assisting young people affected by homelessness at the START (Support Training and Resettlement Team) Project.

I initially commenced work within this project as a support worker but progressed to position of Acting Manager. The project was in partnership with the three Ayrshire Local Authorities. The focus of work was supporting young single people affected by homelessness and by housing benefit conditions for young people under age of 25. Support was provided by outreach work and liaison with accommodation providers. In the role of acting manager I was responsible for project budgets, development and supervision of staff. I produced and evaluated outcomes for the project across the different local authority areas, attended liaison meetings with each local authority partner and established a support surgery within HMP Kilmarnock to help assist offenders awaiting release with accommodation difficulties.

The project was managed by Rowan Alba Association and supported by UK wide umbrella Novas Overtures Group based in London.