Exploring the localised commissioning of victim support services

• In Event: Violence

Abstract

The devolution of victim support services to politically elected Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) in 2014 in England and Wales continued the then Conservative-Liberal Democrat Government’s “Big Society” mantra which saw the responsibility for the commissioning of victim support services move to a local politician with a mandate to commission tailored services for their areas.

Contracting, commissioning and the tendering of services are becoming the norm within this new pattern of victim support. This follows changes within the NHS and the failed attempt to part privatise the probation service. For victim support services this has led to a mixed picture across England and Wales with different approaches leading to both internal and external ‘hubs’ and the commissioning of a variety of victim support services to deliver generic and specialist victim support.

For 10 years now PCCs have been responsible for commissioning local victim support services, with limited research about this strand of work.

Against the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic victims of crime, staff and volunteers from victim support agencies and representatives from PCC Offices participated in interviews and focus groups to better understand the changes that have taken place around the commissioning of victim support services in two areas of England. Findings indicate that the benefits of the localised commissioning of victim support services are minimal, with victims of crime typically engaging with just one victim support service. Improvements could be made around the award of contracts for victim support services, with short term contracts making it difficult for victim support agencies to plan ahead as they work with a lack of certainty around their future.

Author

• Katrina Edwards, University of Sheffield