Who we are

We represent the needs of older people with convictions

Restore Support Network is a national registered charity providing personalised support for older people with multiple and complex care needs due for release from prison. We also support older people with convictions seeking to live independently in their local communities without re-offending.

• We challenge the reasoning behind the rapid increase in the older prisoner population since we were established over 20 years ago. In 1998 there were 827 over 60s and by 2017 it was 4,430. This age group is now the fastest growing age group in the prison estate (Ministry of Justice, 2017).
• We find there is a ‘post-code lottery’ in the implementation of the Care Act 2014 across the prison estate, in accordance with HMPPS Adult Social Care PSI 03/2016. This is compounded when those with assessed care plans are discharged from prison without care and support being provided in the community by their local authority.
• We are particularly concerned over the recent trend in the number of people with multiple and complex needs appearing before the courts and receiving short custodial sentences of less than 12 months. They become trapped in the ‘revolving door’ cycle of the criminal justice system.
• Based on our previous experience we offer an alternative person-centred approach to the criminal justice ‘control’ model. We find our My Life My Care approach to meeting an older person’s health and social care needs offers a better chance to live independently in the community without re-offending.