CIRCLES SOUTH WEST (A company limited by guarantee) circles south west Trustees, Report & Financial Statements Year Ended 31 March 2025 Company number 07369778 Registered Charity number 1138726 Page Contents Administrative Information Trustee Directors, Report Independent Examiner's Report Statement of Financial Activities Balance Sheet Cash Flow Statement Notes to the Financial Statements Appendices 23 24 25 26 27 34 CIRCLES SOUTH WEST TRUSTEES, REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 The Trustees, who are also Directors of the Charity for the purposes of the Companies Act, submit their annual report and the financial statements of Circles South West (CSW) (the company) for the year ended 31 March 2025. The Trustees confirm that the annual report and financial statements of the Charity comply wlth current Statutory requirementsl the requirernents of the Charity's governing document, and the Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland {FRS102}- Charities SORP (FRS 1021. REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER REGISTERED COMPANY NUMBER REGISTERED CHARITY ADDRESS 1138726 in England & Wales 07369778 Crown Chamber5, Bridge Street, Salisbury, Wiltshire SPI 2LZ {from l June 20251. Previously 7 Madeira Road, Bournemouth, Dorset, BHI IQL TRUSTEE DIRECTORS (correct ot the dote of signing) ointed as Trustee April 2012 (former Chalr and Treasurer) March 2015 {former Chair) September 2016 July 2017 November 2017 Stephen Ashton Tim Price (Secretary} Dr Kieran Mccartan (Chairl Chris Maynard {Treasurer) Stephen Barry Peter Estal I November 2017 lan Keys Sophie Rigali Marcella Mathis Dr Cody Porter June 2021 November 2021 {former Deputy Chairl May 2023 September 2024 CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Jo Burden Appointed June 2013 ADVISERS Independent Examiner James Fletcher FCA, Messrs Fletcher & Partners Crown Charnbers, Bridge Street, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SPI 2LZ Including the Charities Act 2011 Ireplaced most of Charities Act 20D6 and Charltles Act 1992); the Charltles IProtectlon & Social I nvestmentl Act 2016 which strengthens the powers of the Charities Commission; the Trustees Acts 1925 and 2000, the most recent Act concernlng the power5 of Trustees regardlng Investments and delegation,. Charlty Commission regulation Circles SoLrth West Trustees, Report and Financial Statements 2024-25 Page | I Bankers Unity Trust Bank, PO Box 7193, Planetary Road, Willenhall WVI 9DG Solicitors Wilsons, Alexandra House, St Johns Street, Salisbury SPI 2SB CHARITY CONTACT DETAILS Correspondence address.. PO Box 163, Launceston, Cornwall, PL15 OBA General email enquiries= info circlessw.or Website: www.circles-southwest.or .uk Facebook: Circles South West STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT Governing Document and Constitution CSW is a charitable company limited by guarantee. It was incorporated on 8 September 2010. The company is governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association dated 31 August 2010 as amended on 12 January 2017. The Directors of the company are also the Trustees. Governance and Management The company {hereinafter referred to as the Trust or Charity or CSW) is governed by its Trustees who meet periodically and who act as Directors for company law purposes. The day-to-day activities are managed by the Chief Executive Officer. Recruitment and Appointment of Trustees New Trustees are recruited from among people who have an interest in furthering the aims of the Charity with a view to ensuring that all the necessary competencies are represented within the Trustee body. CSW aim5 to have a Board of between 8 and 12 Trustees drawn from the local community with the broadest possible range of backgrounds. More than half of our Trustees are current or former Circle Volunteers. Expressions of interest in becoming a CSW Trustee are welcomed. Objects of the Charity The objects of the Charity are to address the needs and promote the rehabilitation, treatment, education and care of persons who have committed or are likely to commit offences, particularly sexual offences, against others and the families of such persons and others affected by such offences. Public Benefit The Trustees confirm that they have complied with the duty in Section 4 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to the public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission. Specifically, a reduction in sexual offending is of immeasurable benefit to those who might otherwise have become victims, to their families and communities, and to those who have been diverted from offending. As volunteers, members of the general community gain from the opportunity to play a part in preventing such offending. Circles South West Tru5tees' Report and Financial Statements 2024-25 Page | 2 SUMMARY OF MAIN AcfiviTIES OF THE CHARITY IN RELATION TO ITS OBJECTS Our Mission.. > To prevent sexual abuse by enabling local communities to support the safe Integration of people who have sexually harmed. > To promote greater public understanding of cornmunity approaches to prevention, risk management and public protection. CSW is the regional Charity that uniquely provides Circles of Support and Accountability ICoSA/Circles) across South West England, an innovative community approach to reducing the risk of sexual reoffending and harmful sexual behaviour. With the vision of 'No More Victims, of sexual abuse, our primary aim is to prevent further sexual harm by adults convicted of sexual offences and young people with harmful sexual behaviour, thereby preventing the profoundly damaging consequences for victims, their families and communitie5. Each Circle provides a small group of carefully selected, trained and professionally supported volunteers to work with an individual who has sexually offended. For adults thSs often follows a prlson sentence. We also provide Circles for young people with harmful sexual behaviour. The individual who has sexually harmed becornes the 'core member, of a Circle that meets regularly helping them to safely integrate in the community and to lead a responsible and offence-free life. The Circle holds the core member accountable for their continuing behaviour and is alert to any indications of ris1< that reoffending might occur. In this way, public safety is enhanced, the Circle acting as a safety mechanism for both the core member and the community. Circles work towards there being 'No More Victims, of sexual harm by: reducing social isolation and emotional loneliness as well as modelling appropriate adult relationships and demonstrating humanity and care; monitoring, to protect the public and increase the safety of communities; holding the core member accountable while developing a relationship of trust, honesty and openness,. supporting the core merrber's safe integration in the local cornmunity. Complementing our core work and on a much smaller scale, we provide sUPPOrt services for the non- offending partners and family members impacted by an individual's sexual offending, enabling them to become 'protectors'. For example, 'Breaking the Cycle, {Licenced by Circles South East) and 'lnform' (Licenced by the Lucy Faithfull Foundation). In more recent years we have grown our provision for young people that now spans preventative work in schools to a suite of direct services for young people with problematic and harmful sexual behaviour {including Inform Young People, Licenced by the Lucy Faithfull Foundation). Circle5 SoLrth WestTrustee5' Report and Financial Statement5 2024-25 Page | 3 We have a150 more recently begun to position ourselve5 as a reputable provider of harmful Sexual behaviour and risk assessments (including AIM3 and RSVP }. This year we secured a 10 year contract to provide services at HMP Ashfield, a private prison run by Serco that solely accommodates men convicted of sexual offences, provlding pre-release programmes and 'Through-the-Gate' Circles. We also provide training for professionals worl25 Page | 4 NO ACHIEVEMENTS & PERFORMANCE MORE VICTIMS 2024 marks 30 years since the first COSA began in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada when members of Revd Harry Nigh's Mennonite congreEation started to support Charlie Taylor, on his release from prison. This significant milestone was marked with a celebration event in London in November at which the founding Pastor Harry Nigh made a key note address and CSW was represented on the conference volunteer panel. 2024-25 has been a successful year for CSW: we have continued to deliver our core service alongside complementary provision, and have grown our offer. We remain true to our mission to the benefit of service users, local communities and partner agencies, never losing sight of ourvision of 'No More Victims, of sexual abuse. As a small-to-medium sized charity working in the criminal justice arena, we must continually respond to 3 changing environment which includes significant external pressures. This means adapting to policy changes- to various compliance requirements; to the ever-increasing challenges of income generation; to complex service user needs; and to attracting and retaining quality staff and volunteers who make the work possible. This year we have focused on: o Services: To enhance impact we have coordinated more COSA than ever before (a 37Yo increase on the previous years); broadened our services; developed new working alliances; accessed alternative income sources; and grown services complementing our core offer, for example, by providing risk assessments. Securing a 10 year contract to provide pre-release services at HMP Ashfield is a significant achievement providing welcome stability for future years. o Human Resources: to meet the increased demand for volunteers this year we have refreshed our volunteer recruitment strategy. investing additional resources into volunteer recruitment and retention. We have created a Code of Conduct that sets out expected behaviours from all engaged in duties on behalf of CSW in a voluntary or paid capacity in order to create an inclusive culture which fosters belonging and respect, values and celebrates difference for all. We have maintained our commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) by designing and rolling-out our new in- house EDI awareness training for staff and volunteers and introducing this as a core training module for all new volunteers. o Infrastructure develo ment- to ensure contract readiness and standards compliance we continue to invest in cyber security measures and are Cyber Essentials Plus certified. Evaluation: to demonstrate that what we do works, we continue to robustly monitor our work and promote the findings of our most recent independent evaluation. Strate ic Plannin to inform the next iteration of the charity's strategic plan we held a joint staff and Trustee away day with the intention of publishing our new strategic plan in 2025. We are entirely invested in ensuring that we attract and retain the right staff, volunteers and trustees and that they have the necessary knowledge and skills to contribute effectively to C5W's development and provision. Recruiting suitably skilled and experienced staff is an ongoing challenge and we are fortunate This year we coordinated 66 COSA compared to 49 in the previous year Circles South we￿ Trusrees. Report and Financi31 St*ements 2024-25 Page | 5 to experience very low staff turnover. We continue to dedicate significant and increasing resources to attract, recruit and retain sufficient suitable volunteers. We remain focused on delivering creative solutions and responding to changing needs in a challenging environment, at all times working towards our vision of 'No More Victims, of sexual abuse. HIGHLIGHTS THIS YEAR HMP Ashfield Contract HMP Ashfield is a Category C adult male training prison near Bristol that accommodates adult men convicted of sexual offences. It is privately run by Serco. CSW secured a 10 year contract to provide pre-release and resettlement services that commenced in November 2024. We have designed and written the Phoenix Pre-Release Group Programme that we will deliver twice per year. We are a150 contracted to provide Through-the- Gate COSA for men resettling in South West England. In addition, we act as conduit for COSA referrals to other Circles Providers outside the South West Region, providing initial assessments and making the link with the resettlement area. HMP Ashfield serco CSW Conference June 2024- Taunton Racecourse 60-plus delegates joined our June conference with the theme Preventing Sexual Abuse in t7 Digital Age. Michael Sheath and Geese Theatre kicked off the day with a powerful play and keynote address. Delegates had the opportunity to attend a variety of workshops throughout the day, led by CSW staff and partner organisations. The workshop on 'Breaking the Cycle, groupwork programme was co-led by a service user. Moj COSA CONTRAcf: COSA for South West Probation Service This contract procures COSA for People on Probation convicted of Sexual offences who are assessed by His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service IHMPPS) as very high or high riskof serious harm (ROSHI, medium-very high risk of re-offending and who have at least 15 months remaining on their Licence or Order. We coordinated 29 Moj Circles thi5 year which is 44% of the total number of COSA coordinated in-year. Contract Year 3 15 confirmed through to August 2025 with the possibility of a further Contract Year 4. Ministry of JUSTICE Breaking the Cycle groupwork programrne is a psycho-educational support group for women with children whose partner or ex-partner has abused children lor where there are concerns about the same} Circles South West Trustee5' Report and Financial Statements 2024-2S Page | 6 OPERATIONS Circles of Support and Accountability We coordinated a total of 66 COSA for 66 individual core members, a 370A increase on the previous year (the significant increase as a result of the MOJ COSA contract for South West England). 43 {65/} COSA were newly established in-year (since April 2024); the other 23135%) had started before April 2024 and continued into the current year. We coordinated Circles in all five police force areas in the South West region, including 'stand3rd' community Circles for adults, prison/through the gate Circles, Circle5 for young people (10 years plus), Circles for adults with intellectual disabilities a nd Reboot Circles Number of Circles b area The greatest number of Circles were provided in the Avon and Somerset area, closely followed by Devon and Cornwall: Circle by Area Wiltshire Gloucestershire Devon & Cornwall 20 Dorset Avon & Somerset 25 In 2023-24 we coordinated 49 COSA Reboot Circles is a shorter Circle (3-6 months), Specifically designed for adults (low to medium risk with high needl convicted of online offences involving indecent images of children. Circles South West Trustees, Report and Financial Statements 2024-25 Page | 7 Number of Circles b t Almost half the Circle5 coordinated this year were directly funded by the Ministry of Justice for People on Probation meeti ng very specific eligibility criteria: Circle by Type Intellertual Disabilities Reboot 12 Young people io Standard li Moj 29 Aggregate demographic and index offence data for core members can be found at Appendix l. Outcomes: Circles of Support & Accountability 27 Circles closed in 2024-25 of which 5 were Circles Reboot (reported separately). 14 Inon-circles Reboot) ran their natural course with an average active period of 14 months. The 5 Circles Reboot ran for an average of 5 months. 8 Circles closed earlierthan planned- 0 4 core members withdrew consent I core member arrested for further sexual offences 0 2 core members recalled I core member (young person) disengaged. "I view Circles as a kind of 'bridge': not too sympathetlc, U5 family can sometimes be. Not completely risk averse, as probation can sometimes appear to be. Simply a bunch of normal people who are genuinely supportive, providing me a safe place to seek advice & guidance, to give me a gentle nudge here and there.......It s really hard to expre55 how valuable this has been for me. Without the support of my Circle, life would be o whole lot more difficult." Core Member Circles SoLJth West Trustees. Report and Financial Statements 2024.25 Page | 8 research in practice Independent Evaluation "Circles of support ond Accountability t7re Gn important part of a community-led, strengths-based and restorative approach to reducing the risk offuture sexual abuse." Research in Practice For the 5 years between 2017-2022, Research in Prartice independently evaluated COSA, with ethics approval from His Majesty's Prison & Probation Service {HMPPS) National Research Committee INRCI. The full final report was published in 2023. The evaluation highlights the statistically significant impact of COSA in reducing dynamic risk factors associated with sexual recidivism over the life of a COSA, including sexual interests, offence related attitudes, relationships and self-management. Dynamic risk is impacted by protective factors such as employment and accommodation status, community connectivity and involvement in positive activities as well as risk factors such as social isolation and emotional loneliness, all of which are addressed by COSA. Data for each Circle is collected at multiple time points, using multiple tools and from multiple stakeholders, providing a comprehensive data set. The full evaluation report can be downloaded at this link CSW COSA S Practice Feb23 and the findings are summarised below at Appendix 2. ear Evaluation b Reseach in Case Studies Two COSA case studies can be found at Appendix 3. Circles South West Trustees, ReFy)rt and Financial Statements 2024-25 Page | 9 Complementary services Complementary services have this year included: Provision Description No. of service users Inform Young People CLIP 121 interventlon for young people in trouble with school or police for problematic online behaviour 121 intervention for young people with problematic or lower level harmful Sexual behaviour - CSW deslgned, piloted and rolled-out in response to demand 121 intervention for young people on bail for sexual offences 22 Ball Support Service Breaking the Cycle io HSB / risk assessments Groupwork land 121} psycho-educational programme for non- offending partners of men who have sexually abused children li 2xAIM3 and 2x RSVP 12 Total 35 HMP Ashfleld (Serco) Contract mobilisation for this 10 year contract with Serco began in November 2024. 2 staff are based part-time at the prison to deliver a pre-release programme and Through-the-Gate COSA. We have: Deslgned and written the Phoenix pre-release {10 session) programme and a condensed I day programme Recruited men to commence Phoenix Pre-Release Programmes Set-up l Through-The-Gate Circle (core member resettling in Devon). Tralnlng / workforce development for professlonals We delivered 13 training / workforce development events and workshops for professionals with excellent feedback. 212 professionals attended training events over the year with more attending workshops. Provision included for exarrple,. Working with people who have sexually harrned (Levels l and 2); Working with young people with harmful sexual beh3viour (Levels l and 2),. Internet Offending; Risk and Interventions. Indecent Exposure. Llcenced as Approved Provlder by the Lucy Faithfull Foundatlon io Licenced a5 Approved Provider by Circles South East AIM3 is a structured professlonal judgment frameworl< designed to asges5 the level of concern around a younE person's sexual behaviour, identify intervention targets, guide dec15i0ns about su pervision and support. 12 Risk for Sexual Violence Protocol is a structured professional judgment tool used to assess the risk of sexual violence, li Circles South West Trustee5' Report and Financial Statements 2024-25 Page | 10 Consultancy sUPPOrt for organlsations We provided consultancy Support to: Safer Plymouth (Cornmunity Safety Partnership) - HARP Phase 2 Development & Report o Circles UK / NEPACS- mentoring support for circle provider coordinators (x 31 Catch22- expert consultant on Inclusion and Development Group. Circle5 South WestTrustees' Report Ind Flnanclal Statements 2024.25 Page | 11 STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS -Keep up the fantastic work, our community needs you. We are gratefui*w13 Alison Hernandez, Police & Crime Commissioner for Devon & Cornwall STAFF Our exceptionally skilled and dedicated staff bring extensive combined experience of probation, MAPPA, social work, police, prisons, treatment programmes, working with harmful sexual behaviour, youth justice, learning disabilities, crime prevention and volunteering across the statutory and voluntary sectors. The Trustees are grateful to the staff for their wholehearted commitment to the work. CSW is a Real Living Wage Employer. Our'5taff well-being, package introduced a few years back continues to be well received; this includes 'emotional well-being, support from an independent counsellor, away days and a rewards and benefit platform. Jo Burden CEO -1 Paul VoltzenloKel I Fifta￿e Manager Rlll TiJFJe Pauline Rousseau Operation5 Manager &Traif•ir% Lead 0.6 FTE John Wiseman Senirw Cocrfdinat Full time Jackie Cttron Serw¢e Man Young PeO￿e & Familie5 Ftsll Fjme Davld Harfey rile5 Cotrdinator Intellectual Disabiltbts Full Tw TIM Johnson rircles Coordinator thjrset People & Wiltshiie 0.5 FIE Neil cla￿htQn Cirde5 Coordinat Dorset a4 FIE Sarn W￿f Cirde5 Coordinator Ywng peO￿t. 0.8￿E Jamie Stephenson rcle5 Coordinati¥r Devoi & Cornwall 0.6FTE Barbara van der Eerden Circles Coordinator Gbjiertershire & w1￿5hIre HMPAshfield 0.8 FTE Graham V(AUnteerCoOrthr￿l0r Fulltime Circles South West Organisation31 Structure July 2025 FTE- Full time equivalent Sonia Bateman Adrninwdior 4FfE CITdes 13 Via Twitter Circles South West Trustees. Report and Financial Statements 2024-25 Page | 12 VOLUNTEERS Our volunteers are the life-blood of our Charity: they do not simply support Circles, they ARE Circles. Their ongoing dedication to protecting communities from sexual harm is exceptional, More th3n 260 volunteers were involved in the 66 Circles coordinated during the year, contributing between them a conservative 14 estimate of around 15,000 hours volunteering tlme A conservative estimate of the value in-kind that 15 our volunteers have contributed this year is around £260,000 At the end of 2024-25 we had 223 retained, trained volunteer5 across the region. In recent years we have introduced our Volunteer Long Service Award, recogni5ing the huge contribution that some Volunteers make with their involvement in many Circles over many years. The awards ceremony has become a standard part of our AGM. Volunteerlng Hours Individual vol unteeri ng hours are recorded for each individ ua I volunteer in every Ci rcle., Direct volunteering involves contact between the volunteer and core member. Indirect volunteering involves Circle work when the core member 15 not present, such as training and supervision. Independent evaluation over a significant period indicates that, on average, volunteers conduct 227 hours per Circle which equates to £3927 per Circle 16 Volunteering Experience Over many years, evaluation has demonstrated that our Circles volunteers are overwhelmingly positive about their experiences with CSW. Volunteers, feedbac[< presents a positive picture of volunteering with CSW describing how organisational values align with those of the individual, providing vital support from the community, helping rehabilitate people who have committed sexual offences and furtheririg the goal of No More Victims. Many started volunteering as a result of wanting to prevent offending in their communities and to help marginalised core members to lead more positive lives. Many also see a benefit In volunteerlng as a way of strengthening thelr own skills and developing experience in working with offenders, such as those hoping to work in forensic psychology and probation. The training they receive from CSW is highly commended and the majority feel well prepared for their circle. Although relationships with core members sometimes take tlme to develop, volunteers mainly speak of p051tive and respectful relationships with core members, which enable meaningful work in the circle. Alm05t all our volunteers Say that they will volunteer again in the future, and would recommend volunteering with CSW to a friend. s an organisation CSW is described as "supportive, friendly , professionally run , remarkably able-, "efficient and "well organi5ed, with an important mission. It Is seen to be making a difference. It is considered welcoming and inclusive with volunteers feeling appreciated and supported, Findings frorn our most recent research of the experience of 203 Volunteers are detailed in the table below,. L4 Using the Ri P identified average no. of 227 hours per circle Uslng E17.30 per hour as the UK median hourly wage IONS, 2025} A5 per footnote 15 above L5 16 Clrcles South West Trustees. Report and Flnanclal Statements 2024-25 Page113 Table I: A re ate res onses from 203 volunteers involved in 131 Circles %age Volunteers (n-203} 97Y, 96Y. 930A Category Volunteers felt safe volunteering with Circles Volunteers felt supported by Circles South West throughout their time volunteering Volunteers recommend volunteering with Circles South West Volunteer felt able to cope with the ernotional pressure of volunteering for Circles Volunteers thought the training adequately prepared them for their Circles Volunteers found their experiences volunteering with Circles rewarding Volunteers believed their Circle had a positive relationship with the core member Volunteers intend to volunteer in another Circle in the future Volunteers thought their Circle volunteers were well matched to the news of the core member Volunteering expectations were met Volunteers reported learni ng va luable new Ski Ils through volunteeri ng with Circles Volunteers said they had applied new skills gained outside of Circles Volunteers thought their core member was accountable to the Circle Volunteers thought the Circle had Significantly reduced the core member's ris1< of reoffending/harmful sexual behaviour 88% 86Yo 86% 84% 84Y. 78Y. 73Y. 56¥. 63% Circles South We5tTrustees' Report and Financial Statement5 2024-25 Page | 14 REVIEW OF FINANCIAL POSITION AND PERFORMANCE The Charity's total recognised income in 2024-25 amounted to £548,241 (previous year £408,780). This method of recognising income is in accordance with the SORP, the Charities Statement of Recommended Practice, and indicates an increase of income in the year of 34¥o, largely explained by Significant delivery In relation to the Moj COSA contract and new contract with Serco at HMP Ashfield (providing pre-release programmes and Through-the-Gate COSA). Qf the recognised income that related to grants, £322,559167%) cons15ted of public sector grants and £155,888 {33Yo} was derived from Trusts and Foundations. This represents a significant shift in the balance of income sources compared to previous years, largely because of the MOJ COSA contract and the new HMP Ashfield contract as above. The balance of recognlsed incorne, £69,794, related primarily to (external fee-earning) training & consultancy (including elements of the HMP Ashfield contract). Expenditure amounted to £552,117 (previous year £529,842), At the year-end £78,865 (previous year £82,741) was carried forward to fund activities in future years. The Charity held £64,814 in advance payments for work to be delivered in 2025-26, all of which was held in cash at the Charity's bank. The Charity's current cash position is sufficient to meet comrnitments. The Charity has promises of sotne £311,843 for work to be delivered in 2025-26 which, together with sums carried forward and deferred income, represents 67QA of the approved budget. This is slightly rnore favourable than the 59Yo in hand year ending March 24 and the Trustees continue to monitor the situation on a monthly basis. However, the Trustees do consider that the charity wil I have sufficient cash resources to meet future l labilities as they fall due, and that it is therefore appropriate to prepare the accounts on a going concern basis. The majority of our funding is short term (often l year) and we therefore contlnue to invest Significant time and resources into income generation to ensure sustainability going forward. Our desire to achieve diverse funding mix has seen a broadening of our offer to test out on a small scale the delivery of 'fee ea rning, tra ini ng and consultancy for professiona Is, developing their skil Is and Icnowledge i n working with people who have sexually harmed. We acknowledge financial support from a number of grant-making bodies and other donors. We have received a number of individual and Quaker group donation5. We are very grateful to thern all. Reserves Policy Last year the Board again considered the need for a Reserves policy that determined a 'sufficient' level of reserves that is not excessive and ensures that the funding stream devoted to our core operatlons is maximised. Recognising our duty to balance the needs of current and future service users, the Board therefore considered the need to provide within reserve5 a} a level of working capital that protects the continuity of our core worl<, bl a level of funding for unexpected opportunities, and cl cover for risks such aKIès South WestTrustees' Report and Flnanclal Statements 2024-25 Page | 15 as unforeseen expenditure or unanticipated loss of income. To that end the trustees consider that unrestricted general reserves of £39,750 would again rneet that 'suff iciency, objective. However, at the 2024-25 year-end the total level of general unrestricted reserves wa5 £34,127 (previous year £40,349}. So, in 2025-26 an additional £5,623 will be needed to bring the reserves back up to the required level. The fall in reserves relates directly to the MOJ COSA contract payment mechanism. This is currently being considered by the Moj, and we are anticlpatlng some reconciliation payment before the end of the 2025-26 financial year. It remains the Charity'5 policy not to start any circle without committed funding for that circle to continue running for at least a year, and In the opinion of the Trustees there has never been a time when existing comrnitments were at actual risk of default. RISK MANAGEMENT The Board of Trustees malntain a comprehensive ris1< register, focusing on Icey areas of concern for the Charity. All risk areas have named leadswhose role is to have oversight, monitor for any changes, ensure necessary control measures are in place with required actions implemented. Risk areas are graded on the severity of their impact against their likelihood of occurrence using a standard matrix, with a sliding scale of concern using a "traffic light" system going from green to red. All risks areas are reviewed quarterly by the Board but those highlighted as of most concern are subject to more regular review as required and with extra monitorlng deemed appropriate by the Board. Risk areas are grouped under five strategic headings,. Governance Risks- The Board Is constantly looking to widen its skill set and representation. Trustees have been recruited in recent times with 3 broad Set of ski115 including expertise in Crimlnal Justice, Social Services, Finance, HR, IT, Research and Evaluation. The Board aims to have between 8 and 12 Trustees to provide resilience, the widest possible skills base and maximlse representation of the communities we serve. Meetings are held both in person and via online-conferencing to ensure maximum attendance and representation. Trustees work in smaller groups as required to oversee specific tasks and there are named Trustees who oversee important business areas such as Finance, Safeguarding and l29 30-39 40-49 50-59 60-69 Sexuality of Core Member HEfEROSEXUAL/STRAIGHT 81% BI-SEXUAL io% GAY/LES8IAN PREFERS NOT TO SAY f 2% 0% 20% 60% 80% loo% Ethnicity of Core Member 40 ANY OTHER WHITE BACKGROUND MIXEO (ANY MIXED BACKGROUND) 12% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Circles South West Trustees, Report ènd Financial Statements 2024-2S Page | 34 Religion Status of Core Member Proportion of Core Member with a Disability 80Y. 69% 14 33 60% 40% 17% YES 20% 7% 28 •NO NOT RELIGIOUS RELIGIOUS PREFERS RELIGIOUS AND NOT AND NOTTO SAY PRACTISING PRACTISING Qualification of Core Member GCSES OR EQUIVALENT/VOCATIONAL LEVEL 2 AND BELOW 45% A-LEVELS OR EQUIVALENT/ VOCATIONAL LEVEL 3 17% NO QUALIFICATIONS HIGHER EDUCATION OR PROFESSIONALI VOCATIONAL EQUIVALENTS 14% OTHER io% 20% 30% 40% 50% Index Offences 0% 30% 40Y. 50% 60% Sexual Murder Penetrative Assault on Adult Other Sexual Assault on Adult Sexual Activity with Adult Family Member Iincestl 1 2% Penetrative Assault on Child 17% Other Sexual Assau￿ on Child 19% Abdurtton of Child 1 2% Inciting a Child and Related Offences 21% Indecent Exposure Voyeurism 1 2% Grooming and Related Offences 29% Images of Child Sexual Abuse / Indecent I Pornographic... 55% Other Offences 12% Circle5 South West Tru5tees' Report and Financial Statements 2024-25 Page | 35 APPENDIX 2 Independent Evaluation research in practice Circles of Support and Accountability are an important part of a community-led. strengths-based Gnd restorative approach to reducing the risk offuture sexual abuse. Research in Practice For the 5 years between 2017-2022. Research in Practice independently evaluated COSA, with ethics approval from His Majesty's Prison & Probation Service IHMPPSI National Research Committee (NRCI. The full final report was published in 2023. It can be downloaded at this link CSW COSA 5 ear Evaluation b Reseach in Practice Feb23 and the findings are summarised below (excerpt from Blog by Lead Researcher, 2023}: The evaluation highlights the statistically significant impact of COSA in reducing dynamic risk factors associated with sexual recidivism over the life of a COSA, including sexual interests, offence related attitudes, relationships and self-management. Dynamic risk is impacted by protective factor5 such as employment and accommodation status. community connectivity and involvement in positive activities as well as risk factors such as Social isolation and emotional loneliness, all of which are addressed by COSA. Data for each Circle is collected at multiple time points, Using multiple tools and from multiple stakeholders, providing a comprehensive data set. Methodolo Understanding the effectiveness of circles presents a challenge to research given {11 the complexity of sexual offending and the varying underlying causes, and 12} the difficulty of collecting the required quantity of reliable evidence. To addre55 these challenges, the evaluation looked at previous research into circles and other restorative approaches, the existing data available, and Research in Practice worked with Circles South West Stakeholders to develop a clear evaluation plan. Both new and existing data sources were used, including: routine data collection- risk reviews of the core members; bespoke questionnaires designed by Research in Practice,- and a range of validated psychometric tools relating to wellbeing and loneliness. Over 5 years, the evaluation looked at 131 circles, of which 65 circles were 'complete' in an evaluation sense (contributing data at the start, middle and end of the circle}. The dataset included 1750 completed questionnaires from a variety of stakeholders including coordinators, core members, volunteers and parents/carers (for the young person circles). To analyse the data collected, a custom computer programme was written. This allocated thousands of individual questions and answers against a framework related to dynamic risk developed by the evaluation in partnership with Circles South West coordinators, volunteers and stakeholders. Findin The research highlighted several key findings, the foremost of which was that in over three quarters of circles, the core member made progress in areas of their dynamic risk. These included improvements in wellbeing, loneliness, social sUPPOrt, careful decision making and managing thoughts and behaviours. For example, in standard circles, 85Yo reported improved wellbeing: this rose to 92% in circles for those leaving prison. In standard circle5, 80¥0 reported improved careful decision making, while 930/0 of circles for people with intellectual disabilities reported improved management of thoughts and behaviour. The young person circles reported 76¥0 improved management of thought5 and behaviour, with 93/0 of parents and Circles South West Trustees, Report and Financial Statements 2024-25 Page | 36 carers reporting reduction in perceived risk. Qualitative feedback from core members highlighted the differences that circles made to their lives, including giving them a space to talk openly and improving their confidence to engage in pro-social behaviours. The full report and research summaries are available on the Circles South West website {as per the above link). As well as the impact that CSW volunteer5 have had on core members, lives and risk of reoffending / further harmful sexual behaviour, the evaluation also highlighted the contribution to the local economy through the many hours of direct and indirect volunteering time through circle meetings, planning and training. As well as the financial value (estimated at between £45,000 and £81,000 per year to the local economy), the evaluation identified that volunteers supported their own professional and personal development, such as attaining skills relevant for their work in probation and psychology. This group of volunteers represents a community a55et in terms of their experience and skills in restorative work with offenders and their strengths-based approach to prevent further offending. The data were also analysed to investigate a challenging area of reliability in criminological research: how can we trust that the responses of people at risk of offending are a reliable marker of ongoing risk ? Evaluation data showed that the responses to questionnaires from different stakeholders were broadly in agreement with each other across a range of different categories of risk, meaning that the responses of core members in their questionnaires were generally corroborated by the volunteers who worked with them and the professional coordinators. Research in Practice also found a strong positive correlation between an externally validated loneliness questionnaire (the UCLA Loneliness Scale,. Hughes et al., 20041 and several other factors of risk, suggesting that self-reported loneliness is a useful indicator of wider dynamic risk. In summary, Research in Practice states that Circles are a really important part of the wider system, providing community led, strengths-based, restorative approaches to reducing Sexual harm in communities. Conclusion This evaluation is one of the largest single evaluations of the COSA approach, particularly in terms of the volume of data collected and analysed. It demonstrates not only the value of circles in the South West of England, but also the dedication of CSW to evidence informed practice. This research did not carry out randomised trials or quasi-experimental methods, due to limitations in access to the wider offending data required. However, using a mixed methods approach, the evaluation of Circles South West has clearly shown the value of COSA to core members and local communities. as well as contributing to the evidence base of COSA more widely, including on suitable evaluation approaches in this space. Circles provide a source of positive sUPPOrt, P¢7rticularly when other support might have fallen away... due to core members, challenging behaviour their past actions, or their own difficulties with self-esteem and well-being... The circle presents a reliable and consistent structure in their lives that has shown to be supportive in establishing longer term and more permanent changes Research in Practice "P(7rtners in prison, probation ond youth Services have a positive view of this work, and CSW Gre complementing wider work in the criminaljustice sector. COSA are an important part of a comn7unity-led, strengths-based and restorative approach to reducing the risk offuture sexual abuse Research i n Practice Circles South West Tru5tees' Report and Financial Statements 2024-25 Page | 37 APPENDIX 3 COSA Case Studies CASE STUDY {1) YP- young person YP, a 17 year old young man, was referred to Clrcles from a specialist therapeutic residential placement for young men with harmful sexual behaviour IHSB), He had completed a two year intervention and was returning to live with family. YP had previously engaged in a number of incidents of HSB with vulnerable same aged peers. YP was adopted aged two following significant trauma and neglect. He had diagnoses of ADHD and Autistic Spectrum Disorder and a history of self-harm. Circle action plan: help develop YP'5 independence skills; help develop YP'S social / relationship skills,. support Yp to engage with College,. help YP avoid further HSB. The Circle comprised 4 volunteers, (three females and one male) and ran for 12 month5. Overall the volunteers contributed 105 hours of dlrect contact time with YP and 124 hours of indirect time for travel, training and supervision. Most weeks the Circle met at cafes and at other times the Circle engaged in activities such as bowling and mini golf. They met on 32 occasions, plus reviews with the Coordinator and Outer Clrcle. InitiallyYP struggled with relationships at College and at home. The Circle worked hard to develop positive relationships with YP. They caught the bus with him to Circle meetings, helping him develop independence skills, confidence and self-esteem, The Circle supported YP to join a gym and encouraged healthy eating. The Circle Coordlnator collaborated with YP and profe55ionals to develop a Safety Plan, supportlng YP'S adherence to this. By the end of the Circle, YP had successfully completed College and was planning to return next term. His parents noted a more positive outlook and improvements with improved emotional management and apologising when he got things wrong. YP had made a good friend at College and was confident using buses. YP'S mother sa id,. 'We ure very grateful to the Circle for all their input over the past yeur. We feel that YP has benefited 9reatlyfrom the experience - particularly in regard to man(7ging relationships,. CASE STUDY (2) CM (adult) CM was a serving prisoner at an open prison when his prison offender Manager spoke to him about COSA having seen a presentation about our prison/through the gate Circles. CM {63 years} was sentenced to 8 years imprisanment for Ihistoricl offences of indecent assault and gross indecency committed against his 7 year old daughter (she disclosed the offences in her 20'sl. Prior to these matters coming to light, he and his then wife had divorced and he had moved to a new area. He had remarried and had another child. Following his arrest and subsequent sentence, his second wife divorced him and stopped contact with his young daughter. He suffered with periods of depression and severe anxiety whilst in prison and attempted suicide on one occasion. He was to be released to an Approved Premises and, due to geographical exclusions, to an area unknown to hlm and he had no Circle5 South West Trustees. Report 2nd Flnanclal Statements 2024-25 Page | 38 support at all from any friends or farnily. He was assessed as posing a high risk of serious harm to children and there were concerns he might attempt to contact his second wife and child. He was to be managed at Level 2 MAPPA on release due to multi agency involvement. CM was formally referred to CSW for a Circle by his Probation Officer who identified areas of need as low self-esteem, lack of a pro social network, emotional loneliness and soclal isolation, factors whlch all contrlbute to Increasing risk of further offendlng. His mental state was a concern, as was the fact that he had 105t everything on conviction and now needed to rebuild his life from scratch, once released, He would be subject to Licence Conditions and Sexual Harm Prevention Order ISHPOI prohibitions, impacting on where he could live, where he could work, what hobbies he could pursue and requirin8 him to disclose to any potential partner hls offending history. It was considered that a pr150n/through the gate Circle would both support him and hold him to account inthe difficulttransition from custodytothe community and the challenges that lay ahead. CM met with his Circle volunteers in the prison and was clearly very keen to engage. However, there were concerns that he did not really appreciate that life as a Registered Sex Offender was going to be rnuch harder than he imagined - he had alway5 been employed, had his own home, family and friends about him. The prison Circle meetings focused on his hopes and expectations for the future and looking at how rea115tically thi5 could be achieved. As a determinate prisoner, he wa5 not eligible for release on temporary licence to the Approved Premises prior to his release, so would not have the opportunity to engage incrementally into the community. He subsequently would say how important it was to have met the volunteers prior to release so he would know someone outside the prison establishment who he could talkto and trust. He knewthe volunteers were aware of the details of his offences so he had nothing to hide. On release, the volunteers met with him weekly for several months before reducing to fortnightly for the remaining term. CM found rebuilding his life much harder than anticipated and whilst trying to stav positive, at times presented in low mood, anxious, angry and frustrated. He wa5 encouraged to talk about feelings, which he had not been able to do in the past and this had contributed to problems in relationships. As he began to do this, he would say how important being able to do 50 in a situation where he felt safe helped him to begin building relationships outside hi5 Circle. He started to engage in appropriate hobbies and helped others living in the Approved Premises with literacy. Volunteers supported him in applying for worl( and dealing with the l