National strategy for community justice: delivery plan update 5 – December 2025

Previously completed deliverables

The deliverables below have been marked as complete in a previous update to the delivery plan and are included below for reference.

No 1

Deliverable: Establish a working group or other appropriate structure to consider the ‘Joint review of diversion from prosecution’ report and the implementation of recommendations as appropriate.

This will take into account ongoing improvement work on diversion from prosecution.

Timescale: October 2023

Opened: Original delivery plan

Closed: Update 1

Additional information: A Diversion from Prosecution Working Group comprising of

diversion partner agencies has been established.

No 5

Deliverable: Improve consistency across the country in the access to 24/7 specialist mental health assessments including in custody centres.

Timescale: December 2023

Opened: Original delivery plan

Closed: Update 3

Additional information: The Police Scotland Mental Health Index went live in September 2024 and is available to officers on their mobile devices. Partners continue to work together to improve access to 24/7 mental health assessments.

No 6

Deliverable: Ensure that the number of custody support intervention champions is maintained or increases, and they all have access to training on Trauma Informed Practice and Motivational Interviewing. This training should subsequently be rolled out to all custody staff.

Timescale: January 2024

Opened: Original delivery plan

Closed: Update 3

Additional information: A recruitment process was instigated to increase the number of Custody Support and Intervention Champions across Scotland. This saw a 12% increase in the number of champions, bringing the total to 115 across Scotland, with coverage for all primary custody centres.

No 8

Deliverable: Ensure bail supervision services are available in all Local Authorities and that electronic monitoring of bail is introduced across Scotland.

Timescale:

Revised in update 1 to June 2024

Opened: Original delivery plan

Closed: Update 3

Additional information: All local authorities now offer electronically monitored bail (EM bail) and bail supervision services.

No 9

Deliverable: Increase levels of suitability assessments for bail supervision and electronically monitored (EM) bail.

Timescale:

Revised in update 1 to January 2025

Opened: Original delivery plan

Closed: Update 3

Additional information: The number of suitability assessments undertaken increased from 4,538 in 2022-23 to 5,532 in 2023-24.

No 10

Deliverable: Identify further areas for action, in line with proposals in the Bail and Release from Custody (Scotland) Bill, to strengthen alternatives to remand across Scotland and build adequate capacity and resilience locally.

Timescale: April 2024

Opened: Original delivery plan

Closed: Update 2

Additional information: The Strengthening Alternatives to Remand project group has identified priority actions to drive improvements in alternatives to remand, to be progressed under deliverable 43.

No 11

Deliverable: Engage with justice partners to explore the viability of new technologies and policy uses, including location monitoring.

Timescale: April 2024

Opened: Original delivery plan

Closed: Update 2

Additional information: Pilot success criteria have been developed, draft regulations drafted, contractual requirements drafted, and kit levels modelled. Implementation of this work will be taken forward under deliverable 44.

No 13

Deliverable: Revise and publish updated guidance on justice social work reports and court-based justice social work services.

Timescale: August 2023

Opened: Original delivery plan

Closed: Update 1

Additional information: The revised Justice social work guidance was published on 5 October 2023.

No 14

Deliverable: Publish a research report on the use of Drug Testing and Treatment Orders (DTTOs) and Community Payback Orders (CPOs) for people with substance use problems, as part of the Cross-Government Action Plan in response to the Drug Deaths Taskforce’s report and recommendations.

Timescale: August 2023

Opened: Original delivery plan

Closed: Update 1

Additional information: The 'Community sentencing options for people with substance use problems' report was published on 31 August 2023.

No 15

Deliverable: Complete an evidence review of the current justice social work landscape.

Timescale: March 2024

Opened: Original delivery plan

Closed: Update 2

Additional information: The Justice social work research report has been published.

No 16

Deliverable: Complete a review of the principles which underpin the justice social work funding formula which is used to distribute over £100m of community justice in funding annually across 32 Local Authorities. This will help inform the future development of the formula and distribution methodology, including identifying areas for improvement.

This work over the next 12 to 18 months will be led by the Community Justice Funding Review Group (FRG).

Timescale: December 2024

Opened: Original delivery plan

Closed: Update 4

Additional information: The review has concluded and a revised distribution methodology for funding justice social work (JSW) has been agreed by Ministers and COSLA. This new methodology will be introduced in 2026/27

No 17

Deliverable: Work with key stakeholders to develop a programme of work to support development of Trauma Responsive Social Work Services. This includes a programme of implementation support and training for social work services, including justice social work.

Timescale: April 2024

Opened: Original delivery plan

Closed: Update 3

Additional information: In 2023 key stakeholders agreed a work plan and actions to support the development of Trauma Responsive Social Work Services. The ‘Transforming Connections’ Trauma Skilled Level training was piloted with over 200 early career social workers in 2023/24.

No 18

Deliverable: Pilot and initiate evaluation of the Moving Forward 2 Change (MF2C) programme for sexual offending.

Timescale: August 2023

Opened: Original delivery plan

Closed: Update 1

Additional information: Pilots and evaluation completed.

No 19

Deliverable: Pilot an assessment method for individuals who commit offences relating to indecent images of children (IIOC).

Timescale: June 2024

Opened: Original delivery plan

Closed: Update 3

Additional information: Following National Strategic Group discussion, the pilot phase was completed, and additional guidance will be added into court reporting process.

No 23

Deliverable: Amend GP contract regulations to allow the pre-registration of prisoners in advance of liberation.

Timescale: November 2023

Opened: Original delivery plan

Closed: Update 1

Additional information: Changes to regulations took formal effect on 29 November 2023.

No 25

Deliverable: Explore options for a potential pilot project to enhance the consistency and co-ordination of housing services for individuals leaving prison, in line with the SHORE standards, prior to their release from custody.

Timescale:

Revised in update 1 to September 2024

Opened: Original delivery plan

Closed: Update 2

Additional information: The pilot was taken forward by Fife Council and will feed into the implementation of the SHORE standards.

No 27

Deliverable: Publish refreshed and updated SHORE standards, which include a focus on a wider range of individuals, and articulating what ‘best practice’ looks like.

This will take into account learning from any potential pilot project, and multi-agency arrangements.

Timescale: November 2025

Opened: Original delivery plan

Closed: Update 4

Additional information: The refreshed SHORE standards have been published on the SPS website. The refresh includes an updated legislation and policy section and action plan detailing areas for future strategic development.

No 28

Deliverable: Develop a strategic framework to assist with the establishment of SPS Employability Advisory Boards. This will take into account technological advances and a refreshed SPS Learning & Employability Strategy.

Timescale:

Revised in update 2 to November 2024

Opened: Original delivery plan

Closed: Update 3

Additional information: The strategic framework to assist with the establishment of SPS EABs has been established.

No 29

Deliverable: Community justice partnerships, Local Employability Partnerships and Employability Leads within Local Authorities should ensure that they are effectively integrated and aligned to ensure individuals are able to effectively access education and employability services.

Timescale: April 2024

Opened: Original delivery plan

Closed: Update 3

Additional information: The No One Left Behind: Employability Strategic Plan 2024-2027 was published in September 2024, setting out an aligned approach that helps people to progress towards, into and to sustain work.

No 30

Deliverable: Skills Development Scotland and SPS to develop and implement a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

Timescale: April 2024

Opened: Original delivery plan

Closed: Update 1

Additional information: MoU between SPS and SDS was signed off by both senior management teams and will continue to be reviewed to ensure it reflects the evolving needs of the population.

No 32

Deliverable: Review the provision of Third Sector Voluntary Throughcare services.

This will inform decisions for the future grant funding process for third sector voluntary throughcare provision and the way the provision will be organised in the future.

Timescale: April 2024

Opened: Original delivery plan

Closed: Update 3

Additional information: A review of third sector voluntary throughcare provision across Scotland was carried out, following which it was agreed to establish a single national voluntary throughcare service. This commenced in April 2025 and is delivered by a partnership of third sector organisations.

No 34

Deliverable: Implement the Community Justice Performance Framework, the Improvement Tool and the updated self-evaluation model for community justice.

Timescale: April 2024

Opened: Original delivery plan

Closed: Update 3

Additional information: All national indicators have been developed and data supplied to Community Justice Partnerships for inclusion in reporting against the Community Justice Performance Framework. The updated guide to self-evaluation has been published and introduced to the sector.

No 35

Deliverable: Work with stakeholders to identify steps that could be taken to increase resilience in the local model of coordination and delivery of community justice.

Timescale: April 2024

Opened: Original delivery plan

Closed: Update 2

Additional information: The Community Justice Peer Network, comprising of local community justice co-ordinators, has formed a working group (also attended by representatives from COSLA, CJS and Scottish Government) to tackle issues commonly faced across local authorities and help ensure cross organisational visibility, input and coordination.

No 36

Deliverable: Publish and embed updated statutory guidance on community justice outcomes improvement planning and reporting.

Timescale: October 2023

Opened: Original delivery plan

Closed: Update 3

Additional information: Following consultation with partners, Community justice outcomes improvement planning and reporting: statutory guidance was published in July 2024.

No 37

Deliverable: Establish a group or other appropriate structure to discuss community justice data development and provide updates to it on work to improve the publishable evidence base on community justice.

Timescale: December 2023

Opened: Original delivery plan

Closed: Update 1

Additional information: A Data Review Group has been established and meets quarterly throughout the year. The group researches data sources that may support and evidence the priority actions of the Community Justice Strategy.

No 40

Deliverable: Work to ensure that partners and the judiciary can more effectively access information on all relevant available services in each Local Authority area.

Timescale: June 2024

Opened: Original delivery plan

Closed: Update 3

Additional information: The Community Interventions and Support Directory (CISD,) is cited on the Community Justice Scotland website and was officially launched on the Judicial Hub in September 2024.

No 42

Deliverable: Develop an action plan to respond the findings of His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland Thematic Review of the servicing of mental health demand on policing published in October 2023.

Timescale: November 2024

Opened: Update 2

Closed: Update 4

Additional information: The Framework for Collaboration and the cross-sector Collaborative Commitments Plan support partnership working between services to ensure that those in need are able to access the right service at the right time.

No 44

Deliverable: Engage with justice partners around the implementation of new technologies and policy uses, including GPS location monitoring.

Timescale: December 2024

Opened: Update 2

Closed: Update 3

Additional information: Regulations to enable GPS came into force on 31 January 2025. Use of GPS EM will be evaluated after a year of operation to inform considerations of any further rollout.

No 45

Deliverable: Investigate feasibility of removing current ‘double ring-fencing’ funding from 2025-26 and undertake a formal funding review of Justice Social Work in 2025/26.

Timescale: October 2026

Opened: Update 2

Closed: Update 3

Additional information: Analysis of different options for increasing flexibility within the current ring-fenced arrangements was undertaken, but it has been determined by the Scottish Government that the existing arrangements will continue in 2025/26.

No 49

Deliverable: Establish an ongoing Justice Social Work Practitioner forum.

Timescale: December 2025

Opened: Update 2

Closed: Update 3

Additional information: An expanded practitioner panel has been formed with a revised term of reference.