Catch22’s Commissioned Rehabilitative Services: supporting people on probation to rebuild their lives
This is a guest blog by Beth Guard, Policy and Communications Manager for Justice and Education at Catch22.
At Catch22, a significant part of our work sits within the justice sector, supporting people in prison and on probation to move away from reoffending and towards more stable, hopeful futures.
We know that being on probation, particularly following time in custody, can be an incredibly challenging period. The transition back into the community often comes with instability, fractured relationships, financial pressures, and unmet health or wellbeing needs. It is also, however, a critical opportunity; with access to the right support, this period can be transformative.
Our Commissioned Rehabilitative Services (CRS) are designed to meet people at this point of change. Working alongside probation, prisons, and community partners, these services provide specialist, tailored support for people who need more than probation alone can offer, addressing the practical and personal barriers that so often lead to reoffending.
A community-led approach to rehabilitation
At Catch22, we believe that rehabilitation only works when services are responsive, relevant, and rooted in the communities people return to. That’s why our interventions are co-designed with people who use our services and with frontline staff, ensuring they reflect real needs rather than assumptions.
Community sentences have huge potential: they allow people to rebuild their lives where they live, close to family, services, and support networks. But many people don’t know what support is available locally, or lack the confidence to access it alone. Our role is to bridge that gap, with practitioners embedded in local communities, assertively linking people to meaningful, ongoing support, strengthening local capacity rather than duplicating it.
As one person we supported put it:
“I felt listened to and I’ve been given the right support to move on with my life.”
Personal Wellbeing (PWB)
Catch22’s PWB service supports men aged 18 and over who are on probation or within 12 weeks of release from custody. Delivered across London, West Mercia, and the South West and South Central regions, the service focuses on four key areas that are central to long-term desistance:
- Family and significant others – supporting people to develop healthy relationships, avoid harmful dynamics, and recognise patterns linked to previous behaviour.
- Lifestyle and associates – helping individuals build a more positive sense of identity and connect with pro-social networks in their community.
- Emotional wellbeing – developing coping strategies to manage emotions, reduce risk-taking, and improve self-care.
- Social inclusion – tackling isolation by helping people rebuild social networks as they move from custody back into the community.
As one person we supported told us:
“I got a lot of support for my mental health. I was supported to get assessment done by GP and job training.“
Finance, Benefits and Debt (FBD)
Financial instability is a major driver of stress for people on probation and can significantly increase the risk of reoffending. Our FBD service, delivered in London, recognises this and provides practical, hands-on support to help people regain control.
This includes advice, advocacy, budgeting support, and help navigating benefits or court-related debt – all delivered in a way that is non-judgemental and focused on long term stability.
Chris’ (name changed) story illustrates the impact this support can have. Referred to Catch22 while balancing court fines, a new job, and the pressures of becoming a first time father, Chris was struggling with anxiety and uncertainty about how to manage his finances.
Through one-to-one sessions, our practitioner worked with Chris to:
- Liaise with the court collections unit, helping him resolve outstanding fines and relieve immediate financial stress
- Build money management skills through budgeting and income/expenditure planning
- Set realistic financial goals, from everyday essentials to longer-term savings By the end of the intervention, Chris had paid off his fines, opened his first savings account, and felt confident managing his money for himself and his family.
Dependency and Recovery (D&R)
Our D&R service supports 18–25-year-olds in London who are on probation or approaching release from custody. Using a strength-based, non-judgemental approach, practitioners support young people to:
- Understand the links between substance use, behaviour, and future goals • Develop relapse prevention and harm reduction strategies
- Build resistance to negative peer influence
- Establish positive support networks and pro-social routines
One young person reflected:
“I initially saw [the referral] as a way to fill my rehabilitation hours. However, I have found the help of my practitioner invaluable. Having someone to talk things over with in a safe setting who can give suggestions and reminders of strategies we have looked at in previous sessions has helped me to start to question and alter my behaviours, small manageable steps at a time. I now feel more in control of my actions and choices.”
The referral process
Because these services are CRS, referrals come directly through probation. For PWB and D&R, referrals can be made up to 12 weeks before release, allowing practitioners to meet people in custody and begin building trust, with the offer to meet them at the prison gate on release, if beneficial.
This continuity is crucial. The immediate post-release period is often unstable, and consistent support can make the difference between someone disengaging or staying on track.
Practitioners will then carry out an initial assessment and develop a personalised action plan focused on immediate needs and longer-term goals.
By working hand in hand with prisons, probation, and community providers, we aim to ensure that when someone completes their licence period and ceases work with both probation and CRS services, they have the tools, confidence, and community support they need to thrive.
If you are interested in finding out more about Catch22’s work, or how these services could benefit the people you work with, please contact info@catch-22.org.uk