Publish date: 8 May 2024
Local mental health teams have received a national gold Lived Experience Charter status in recognition of their commitment to the recruitment of people with lived experience of the criminal justice system.
The Lived Experience Charter is led by Career Matters and commissioned by NHS England, Health & Justice and has been awarded to AWP’s Advice Support Custody and Court (ASCC) and Liaison and Diversion Service (LaDS). They support people with mental health, learning disability, substance misuse and other vulnerabilities who have engaged with the criminal justice service before being sentenced.
Both services aim to provide emotional and physical support for people and reduce their likelihood of re-offending.
Mark Arruda-Bunker, Divisional Director of Operations – Specialised, Secure and CAMHS at AWP, said: “We are extremely delighted and proud that our teams have been recognised with a gold award at the Lived Experience Charter. The award demonstrates our commitment to providing an open and inclusive recruitment of people with lived experience.”
Lauren Chilcott, Team Leader for ASCC service at AWP, said: “The team and I are immensely proud to have achieved the gold award from the Lived Experience Charter. As a team, we have always supported the open and inclusive recruitment of people with lived experience through our clear progression pathways and peer support networks, both in our service itself and across AWP.
“It can often feel like standard practice to us, however we recognise the need for this work to continue to ensure that the workforce is as inclusive and representative as it can be – we hope therefore that this recognition can be a catalyst for continued cultural and systemic change.”
