One Small Thing
The charity redesigning the justice system for women and their children
STRATEGY
Image: Istock
Sarah Smith
Policy and Communications Officer, One Small Thing
Issue 65 | April 2023
Women who are involved in the justice system are some of the most disadvantaged in our society, many having had long histories of trauma. By taking a positive and compassionate approach through our Hope Street project, One Small Thing aims to create a blueprint for change that can be replicated across the country and achieve better outcomes for women, their children and society.
Who are One Small Thing?
One Small Thing is a women’s organisation, with a mission to redesign the justice system for women and their children. We were set up in 2014 by prison philanthropist, Lady Edwina Grosvenor in response to unacceptable levels of suicide and self-harm across women’s prisons in England, and feedback from prison staff who wanted to better understand and respond to the underlying trauma behind this.
One Small Thing wants a compassionate justice system that recognises the vicious cycle of trauma and disadvantage at the root of justice involvement and allows people to recover from trauma, and thrive. Our core focus is on women and their children because of the additional discrimination and disadvantage they face.
Through our work we aim to:
- Redesign the way the justice system responds to women and their children in a way that can be replicated and scaled nationally.
- Educate people within the justice system on the impact of trauma and draw on our knowledge and expertise to help build capacity within organisations.
- Influence politicians and policy makers to encourage culture change across the justice system and the people who work within it.
What is Hope Street?
Hope Street is a pioneering residential community in Hampshire for women and their children, inspired by our commitment to systemic change for women in the justice system. From within a healing, trauma-informed, residential environment, these women and children have access to a range of specialist support. Through Hope Street, One Small Thing aims to create a blueprint for change that can be replicated across the country and achieve better outcomes for women, their children and society as a whole.
The county-wide residential network aims to be a community-based alternative to women receiving short custodial sentences, being unnecessarily imprisoned on remand or released with no safe housing to go to.
Why build Hope Street?
Women who are in prison are some of the most disadvantaged in our society, many having had long histories of trauma. 72% of women are in prison for non-violent crimes and 63% for less than 12 months. In this time, they can have their children removed or be separated from them, and lose their homes and their jobs. It is estimated that around 17,000 children are separated from their mother through imprisonment each year and in July 2021 77% of women leaving the largest women’s prison in England and Wales faced homelessness.
We know that past and current trauma is often the root cause of women ending up in situations that can lead to a prison sentence. Being sent to prison can hugely exacerbate and prolong that trauma.
We believe there is another way.
“We know that past and current trauma is often the root cause of women ending up in situations that can lead to a prison sentence. Being sent to prison can hugely exacerbate and prolong that trauma.”
A blueprint for change
Trauma-informed and gender-specific by design. Hope Street is a place where women can get support and keep their children with them.
We want to prove that this approach will:
- Reduce the number of women going to prison
- Prevent maternal separation and intergenerational trauma
- Support women and children to lead happier lives free from crime
Hope Street is due to open early 2023, and throughout we will be sharing our learning as a blueprint for national systemic change.
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