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New Leaf Trust - About Us

New Leaf Trust is a Community Interest Company delivering "circles of support and accountability" in the north of England. We work with police, probation, prisons and other partners in coordinating public protection work with convicted sex offenders.

Using networks of professionals and trained volunteers to provide practical support for offenders is a recognised model of effective intervention often referred to as "circles of support and accountability". New Leaf Trust is a member of the government funded national body Circles UK. Our directors have experience of police, probation, prisons and community volunteering and we are registered as a practice placement for student social workers.

As a community interest company our purpose is to work for the benefit of the community. We are accountable to the Regulator of Community Interest Companies and any profit made by New Leaf Trust is reinvested in the company.

In April 2007 we commissioned a feasibility study to inform us about the nature and extent of Circles in the UK. This study was conducted by Katy Macvay a PhD student studying criminology at John Moores University, Liverpool. The feasibility study provided strong evidence of the likely effectiveness and need for a Circles organisation in the north of England. In addition, colleagues from criminal justice agencies and members of the local community had approached us to discuss the concept of “Circles”. On the strength of this combined interest and evidence of the value of Circles, not to mention the offer of willing support from colleagues, it was decided to form New Leaf Trust with a view to operating a “Circles” initiative. Our project has received invaluable support from Business Link Humber and expert business advice from Latitude Ltd.

New Leaf Trust aims to develop a network of Circles for the northern region in England; initially, Yorkshire and Humberside. New Leaf Trust will operate the specific, evaluated and nationally agreed model known as “The Circle of Support and Accountability” (QPSW, Quaker Peace and Social Witness), which was set up by the Quaker community in the Thames Valley area (Didcot) in April 2002. This was based on the tenets of Saunders and Wilson (2002, Thames Valley Circles of Support and Accountability).

In brief the model facilitates 3 distinct and equally important features:

SUPPORT Reduce isolation Reduce emotional loneliness Model appropriate relationships Demonstrate humanity and care

PUBLIC PROTECTION Safer Communities Support Statutory agencies Support probation Support police Support MAPPAs Inform assessment of risk Inform management of risk

MAINTENANCE Hold offender accountable A relationship of trust Maintain treatment objectives

 

New Leaf Trust Circles User Group

We have established a user group to monitor and observe our work.

The user group is consulted on both operational and development issues and is made up of representatives from safeguarding bodies, police, volunteers and other professionals.

Recognition and awards for the model

• In 2004, the Longford Award.
• In 2006, a Howard League Community Programmes Award for Schemes of Special Merit.
• In 2006, the Justice Awards for Outstanding Contribution to Engaging Communities.

New Leaf Trust is applying the same model in the north of England.

Our People

Dan Grant

Dan worked as a specialist social worker in child protection before joining the probation service to develop his interest in the treatment and supervision of sex offenders. As a probation officer his practice was innovative and attracted the interest of many others including academics, politicians, victims’ groups, publishers, media and policy makers. He was invited to introduce research methods in his work and in 1999 was awarded PhD for his thesis entitled “Supervising Sex Offenders in the Community”. Since then Dan has further developed his work as a manager, trainer and academic.

Dan is committed to many development and improvement initiatives and he is continually adding to his skills and knowledge. He is trained to use: Risk Matrix 2000-7, SAM (Stalker assessment and Management), HCR 20 (Historical, Clinical Risk Management) PCL-R (Psychopathy Check-list Revised), OASys, SARA (Spousal Assault Risk Assessment and B-SAFER), and RSVP (Risk for Sexual Violence Protocol).

As Chief Executive of New Leaf Trust, Dan’s vision is to provide services which contribute to excellence in offender assessment and management.

Katy Macvay

Katy is a Director of New Leaf Trust with special responsibility for volunteer recruitment, support and training. She coordinates our research and development projects and is an accomplished restorative conference facilitator.

After graduating she went into the social economy sector and worked in the developmental stages of funded projects, moving on to a community based learning scheme that was aimed at the re-integration of socially excluded groups. In addition she completed a research study on the employment prospects of offenders following a charge or release from custody.

Since 2005, Katy has been working in the rehabilitation of offenders in a custodial setting and has returned to postgraduate study and is currently working toward a PhD focusing on a comparative study of the experiences of victims of corporate crime.

Martin Walker

Martin is specialist consultant with responsibility for MAPPA liaison. Martin retired from Humberside Police in 2006, after 32 years service. During this time he had overall responsibility for all registered sex offenders in North Lincolnshire, was involved in the development of force policy and the Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements in the Humberside Police area.

Martin chaired the development group for the implementation of the Common Assessment Framework and was a member of the area Mental Health Act committee. He chaired the management group for the domestic violence project and was a member of the VISOR (Violent/Sex Offender Register) national user group, being involved in its roll out in the Humberside Police area. These roles developed and Martin went on to be a member of the Regional VISOR user group and also the MAPPA regional user group.

Martin had responsibility for decision making on all section 17 referrals to Social Services, attending case conferences, Child in Need meetings and Strategy meetings and the roll out of MARACS in North Lincolnshire.

Martin is a Centrex approved VISOR user and a Home Office approved Risk Matrix 2000 (s) (Risk Assessment tool) user.

Since leaving the police service Martin has worked as a risk management consultant and completed the Local Authority Ombudsman training for Effective Complaints Handling. Martin is also a qualified trainer.

Bob Croft

Bob started his career as a volunteer with Nottingham Probation Service, working with prisoners’ families. He later became a probation officer and worked in a variety of settings including prisons and sex offender treatment programmes.

Throughout his career Bob has maintained his interest in volunteer initiatives with offenders. This has involved innovative work with victims and survivors’ groups in restorative justice initiatives.

Bob has joined New Leaf Trust as Director with responsibility for case work.

Geoff Wilkinson

A member of the Institute of Business Consulting having qualifications in business counselling and teaching in adult education

Geoff has a background in accounting with experience both in Professional Accountants Practices as well as industrial accounting and internal audit.

He has worked for businesses as large and well established as Nestlé and as small as seven personnel and newly formed.

In recent years he has given business start up and expansion advice for Jobcentre Plus, The Learning and Skills Council, and Social Enterprise Humber

He also acted as Company Secretary and Lecturer in an organisation providing training for unemployed and people with learning difficulties.

A number of those given advice and training were ex-offenders as these were given priority of access.