£3 million funding agreement marks a major milestone for Effective Women’s Centres Partnership
£3 million in charitable funding for women’s centres has been announced today alongside landmark new research from the University of Birmingham, as part of an innovative research collaboration to reduce women’s imprisonment and create lasting change in the criminal justice system.
The Henry Smith Foundation, one of the largest independent funders in the UK, is providing £1.5 million in matched funding to The JABBS Foundation for Women and Girls to scale up the Effective Women’s Centres Partnership. Founded with initial investment from JABBS, the partnership brings together seven women’s centres and the University of Birmingham to evidence the effectiveness of women’s centres as community-based alternatives to custody.
The new funding announcement comes as the University of Birmingham’s Women, Crime and Justice Research Group publishes new research demonstrating the Women’s Risk Needs Assessment (WRNA) can accurately predict the risk of reoffending among women in the UK, based on factors that drive criminal behaviour, like trauma and abuse, substance use, and financial struggles.
What is the WRNA
Originally developed in the US, WRNA is to date the most comprehensive assessment tool specifically for women involved in the criminal justice system. It is now being used by women’s centres in Birmingham, Cornwall, Gloucester, Greater Manchester, and Yorkshire. It means women’s centres can provide personalised support for each woman – helping to tackle underlying causes of crime and supporting women to rebuild their lives and thrive.
With the new funding, more women’s centres will join the Effective Women’s Centres Partnership and use WRNA, helping thousands more women and steering them away from crime.
Specialist women’s interventions, like those provided by women’s centres, are up to 42% more effective than non-gendered support in reducing reoffending
Previous research from the University of Birmingham has shown specialist women’s interventions, like those provided by women’s centres, are up to 42% more effective than non-gendered support in reducing reoffending. Over the coming years, the Effective Women’s Centres Partnership aims to provide the strongest evidence yet that investment in community-based, gender-responsive services leads to better long-term outcomes and a more effective and sustainable justice system.
Details of how organisations can apply to join the Effective Women’s Centres Partnership will be published by The JABBS Foundation for Women and Girls later this year.