Reducing reoffending

Rehabilitation and reducing reoffending are at the core of everything we do across Sodexo’s prisons. Our two-year 'Reducing Reoffending' strategy focuses on clear, tangible outcomes that will be visible to prisoners, their families, and our staff. Everyone has a role in helping us change lives for the better.

The strategy is built around three key principles:

  1. People
    We focus on creating safe environments where staff can work effectively and prisoners can engage in meaningful rehabilitation.
  2. Partnerships
    Rehabilitation requires collaboration. We work closely with Probation services, HMPPS, throughcare providers in Scotland, and education, skills, and work partners in England to support prisoners' reintegration.
  3. Progression
    We prioritize involving families and significant others in the rehabilitation process and offer tailored support for specific groups like care leavers, mothers in custody, and veterans.

Female Prisoners
We address the unique needs of women in custody, offering specialised services around domestic abuse, trauma, and sex work through strong partnerships.

HMP Bronzefield has a Mother and Baby Unit (MBU), staffed by both operational and non-operational teams reporting to the MBU and Perinatal Service Manager. These teams manage pregnancy services, MBU applications, resident onboarding, separation support, care planning for children in alternative arrangements, and resettlement planning.

Each MBU has a dedicated Nursery and Early Years Workers who support child development. A Pregnancy Mother and Baby Liaison Officer (PMBLO) at each site contacts all pregnant prisoners to assess their needs. Since 2021, each prison also follows a reviewed annual Perinatal Pathway offering psychological support for women on the MBU and those in the wider prison during the perinatal period.

Women are encouraged to apply to an MBU early, allowing time for transfer before their due date and reducing separation from children. Applications can include babies in the community under 18 months, with careful consideration of separation issues. All women—remanded or sentenced, regardless of offence, sentence type, or nationality—are eligible for MBU placement.

Finance, Benefit and Debt

Equipping women with the skills to manage their finances is essential to reducing their risk of reoffending. Women are usually primary carers, it is therefore important that they are able to budget their household bills to reduce the number of children living in poverty and enable them to support themselves.

Mental and Physical Health

Mental and physical health is essential to the well-being of women. We are committed to provide holistic care, that has the individual at the centre, in a professional and caring environment.

Children, Families and Relationships

Women receive less visits than men and receive less support from partners. However, maintaining relationships assist women to resettle and provide support upon release. Women are usually the primary carer for their children and it is important for them to maintain that bond whilst they are in custody.

Education, Training and Employment

Education and employment are key to improving the employability of the women in our care. Government statistics show that there are poor levels of reading, writing and numeracy skills excluding up to 80% of offenders from 96% of jobs. We are committed to providing education and training to all women that fits their individual academic and training needs.

Drugs and Alcohol

More than 55% of women have a substance misuse need. We have a wide range of services to provide support, intervention and programmes to enable women to fight their addiction needs.

Attitudes, Thinking and Behaviour

We are committed to transforming the lives of women by giving them the opportunity to build their self-confidence and esteem. This is done through positive pro-social modelling and effective interventions to reduce their risk to themselves and the public upon release.

Domestic Abuse and Sex Work

One in four women experience domestic abuse annually in the UK. In a recent needs analysis of the women at HMP/YOI Bronzefield 56% of women reported that they had been a victim of domestic abuse in the past. 57% of women surveyed also reported that they had worked in the sex industry and wanted to leave. We offer the support these women require to address their specific needs.

Learning & Skills

Our Learning and Skills department is at the heart of the prison.We employ 12 tutors and specialist staff to ensure our women are fully assessed on arrival to understand their education level and their skill requirements.All residents are encouraged to study or work while at Bronzefield in order to achieve qualifications prior to release, which will enable them to gain employment and reduce the likelihood of them returning to prison.

HMP & YOI Bronzefield
Woodthorpe Road
Ashford
Middlesex
TW15 3JZ

Tel: 01784 425690
Fax: 01784 425691

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Our successes

We have above average success rates in functional skills English and Maths courses. 

We ensure our foreign national women are placed on courses to learn English as a second language in order to help them navigate life both inside and outside of prison. 

Our women have won awards for their achievements in catering and the arts .

We work with external employers as well as within the wider Sodexo group to provide opportunities for Release on Temporary License. These opportunities have resulted in permanent employment for our women once released from prison. 
 

Secretary of State for Justice says we're 'leading the way'

Upon visiting HMP & YOI Bronzefield the former Secretary of State for Justice remarked;

“HMP Bronzefield is leading the way in responding to local market needs by putting an end to the now defunct textile workshop, and instead giving prisoners barista work, training and qualifications.  We want all of our prisons to follow suit…”

Social Impact

Our purpose has always been to contribute positively to the communities in which we live and work, through every interaction.

Social Impact

Starting Fresh

Starting Fresh with Sodexo

Sodexo is proud to support fair employment by proactively recruiting people with criminal convictions through our Starting Fresh campaign.

We’ve committed to filling 5% of suitable roles with individuals who have convictions, helping to deliver lasting social impact. As a Ban the Box employer, we don’t ask about criminal records at the application stage unless legally required.

https://uk.sodexo.com/StartingFresh.html