Speakers
Parallel Workshops
Ministry of Justice research shows that prisoners who maintain family contact have a reoffending rate 39% lower than those who do not. Yet family connection remains marginalised in formal resettlement planning across most justice systems.
Partners of Prisoners (POPS), founded in 1988 and supporting hundreds of thousands of families across 38 years, presents a model that places family engagement at the centre of evidence-informed resettlement strategy. Drawing on the Farmer Reviews (2017, 2019), international recidivism data, and lived experience gathered across our services, this presentation demonstrates that families — properly supported and meaningfully included — are the justice system’s most underutilised resettlement resource.
Partnerships with NGOs are important. As NGO’s, evidence shows that we are able to engage with people more effectively because we have no statutory powers and therefore we are viewed as non-threatening, able to build trusting relationships more effectively therefore NGOs can be the conduit for communication between prisoner’s families and statutory agencies, providing support to families to remove barriers and demystify language to engage and navigate statutory systems such as prison, adult and children services.
We will explore how cross-sector collaboration between NGOs, prison and probation services, health, housing, and employment agencies can transform family support from a welfare add-on into a structured resettlement pathway — reducing reoffending, protecting children, and strengthening communities. We will also examine the systemic barriers — in assessment tools, information-sharing, and commissioning — that currently prevent this from happening at scale.
Lynn brings over 25 years of experience at senior management level across the private and third sectors, with a strong track record in delivering local, national, and international initiatives within the fields of criminal justice and social inclusion.
She has led the design and implementation of high-value, complex projects, managing a diverse portfolio of funding streams, including national and local government contracts, charitable grants, and philanthropic contributions. Throughout her career, Lynn has contributed to numerous advisory boards and research initiatives, supporting the development of policy and practice across the criminal and social justice sectors.
In 2014, Lynn joined POPS as Head of Operations, where she was responsible for overseeing core business functions and managing the national delivery of commissioned Family Support services across both custodial and community settings.
On 2 January 2025, Lynn was appointed Director of POPS. In this role, she holds overall responsibility for the Charity’s sustainability and strategic growth. Her work emphasises partnership development and stakeholder engagement, alongside contributing to national and local strategy and policy.
Lynn is committed to strengthening and advancing robust family support services within the criminal justice system and the wider community.