Care After Combat helping veterans stay out of criminal justice system

A three-year support project for veterans in the Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire criminal justice systems has come to an end, after helping drop re-offending rates to well below the national average.

With many veterans never having experienced the civilian world as an adult, finding their footing after leaving the armed forces can be challenging.

This is especially true for those who chose the army or other forces as an escape from an unhappy childhood or family situation, or for those who suffered from trauma in combat ­— and can lead to the veterans repeatedly offending.

Care After Combat, a veterans' support charity with headquarters in Newark, is aiming to change this.

Executive assistant Amy Barnett said: "The experience of leaving the forces is similar to leaving prison, and we want to break that cycle by supporting rehabilitation and having someone to guide them so it is not so alien.

"Some of them leave home because of adverse childhoods and join the forces as an escape. They are embroiled in force culture and not necessarily supported with that.

"They've not had the experience of living in a civilian world as an adult."

Amy explained that veterans ended up in situations where they argued with a partner, and were on the street where they turn to offending, or returned home and back into the conditions they escaped with the forces.

The project ReGroup, delivered by Care After Combat, Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and Project Nova (The Forces Employment Charity), has provided single pathway care to veterans in the criminal justice system in Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire since 2019, offering self-help, mental health support and pre and post-release support.

2,100 wellbeing packs were provided to veterans serving sentences in HMP Lowdham Grange, HMP Nottingham, HMP Lincoln, HMP Ranby and HMP North Sea Camp, with over 15,000 delivered by the charity across the country.

"We went through covid and didn't stop delivering to the veterans in that time," Amy added.

"We couldn't have access to the prisons but we sent the wellbeing packs ­— at that time weekly.

"They have a psychoeducational focus, with advice for sleep issues, mental health issues, acceptance and adjustment disorder."

The packs also supported veterans in keeping their minds and body active, with quizzes, jokes and physical activities.

Once the charity was able to return to prisons face-to-face, it ran forums where veterans could discuss their situation and address offending behaviour.

Amy said: "Veterans being able to get together to talk and have some banter is beneficial for them.

"We are very much veterans supporting veterans."

The ReGroup project differed from the wider area benefitting from the packs, as it saw 'gold standard' treatment for incarcerated veterans in the two counties.

Full health checks were carried out, and funded, by the NHS trust and Project Nova delivered additional post-release support with accommodation, healthcare and references to other support systems.

Care After Combat mentors also offer a 'professional friendship' and support from 12 months pre-release to 12 months post-release.

This can include acting as an advocate at healthcare appointments and attending social gatherings such as breakfast clubs to help reintegration, helping them to sign up for a GP or open a bank account ­— things they may never have done if they joined the armed forces straight after school.

"The re-offending rate has reduced from the national average of around 45% to 11%, so what we do works," Amy added.

"Veterens get veterens."

A new service will replace project ReGroup, with in-prison support provided by Care After Combat and The Forces Employment Charity offering post-prison support to veterans across England.