A new service supporting people with complex needs to rebuild their lives and reduce reoffending has celebrated its first year of operation, helping more than 80 ex-offenders make positive changes and move away from crime.
The Intensive Floating Support Scheme for Ex-Offenders was commissioned by the Staffordshire Commissioner for Police, Fire & Rescue and Crime in July 2025 and is delivered by Offploy, a national organisation with a successful track record of running similar services.
The service, available across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent, helps individuals address the underlying issues that contribute to criminal behaviour. It provides holistic, tailored support for ex-offenders and those at risk of offending, through professional keyworker support and joint working with a range of community-based advice and support services.
This includes support with accommodation, employment, mental health, substance misuse, and developing the life skills needed to build stable, independent lives. A key feature of the scheme is its focus on employment, with over half of participants who were previously unemployed being supported to access training or work.
- Since its launch on 1 July last year, the service has received 153 referrals, with 83 individuals going on to engage with the programme.
- Support is provided for up to 20 weeks (average 16 weeks), with the length of support being tailored according to individual need.
Staffordshire Commissioner for Police, Fire & Rescue and Crime Ben Adams said: “Services like this play a vital role in tackling the root causes of offending, providing the practical support and guidance people need to make lasting change.
“It’s encouraging to see so many individuals taking up the service, and how the support they are receiving is helping them turn their lives around.
“By investing in initiatives that reduce reoffending, we are not only supporting individuals but also making our communities safer by preventing crime before it happens.”
Offploy founder Jacob Hill said: “Seventy percent of Offploy’s staff have lived experience of the criminal justice system, because you can’t get under the surface of offending without understanding it from the inside.
“Projects like this, invested in by Staffordshire Commissioner Ben Adams, let us do exactly that: meet people at their most complex needs and support them to live crime-free lives.
“I’d encourage every PCC in the country to follow Ben’s lead, because reducing reoffending through community intervention isn’t just the right thing to do, it makes streets safer.”
The majority of the individuals supported reported that the service had successfully met their support needs, helping them to comply with statutory orders and achieve stable lifestyles away from crime.
Feedback from partner criminal justice agencies and service users has also been positive, with evidence that the service is making a real difference in helping individuals overcome barriers, build confidence, and create safer, more positive futures.
A Probation spokesperson said: “It has been fantastic to see how Offploy, as a locally commissioned service, has been working to support people on probation to secure better housing outcomes. As part of the reducing reoffending agenda, they have contributed to changing lives for the better and keeping the public safe.