Recommendation 170

Niki Scordi told us that the commissioning process in 2021 was a considerable improvement on the previous process five years earlier. She talked about “massive improvements”, and specifically welcomed the commissioning of “a holistic service” for women, allowing organisations like hers to become a one-stop-shop where all the rehabilitative needs of female offenders can be addressed (see section on “mainstreaming wraparound support” starting at paragraph 92). She also welcomed the fact that the regions at the level of which services are commissioned “are smaller so that local services can engage” and the fact that contracts last for five years. 312 Together Women also told us that they have been impressed by the role of Probation teams, highlighting “extensive efforts to engage with women’s specialists”. 313