Moving Forward 2 Change (MF2C)

The Moving Forward: Making Changes (MF: MC) programme was designed jointly by the Scottish Prison Service and Community Justice Operational Practice Unit of the Scottish Government. It was accredited by the Scottish Advisory Panel on Offender Rehabilitation (SAPOR) in 2014. It was aimed at adult (18 years and over) males who have been convicted of a sexual offence or another offence with a sexual element and were assessed as Moderate to High on the SA07 risk assessment tool. In 2018, Ormston and Mulholland completed an evaluation of MF: MC. Although the programme’s accreditation had lapsed, it was communicated to all sites that the programme should continue to be delivered in line with accredited standards. A National Advisory Board was set up and on 13 May 2019, the board unanimously concluded that a revision (not a replacement) of the programme was required. MF: MC has now been re-designed to draw on the latest available evidence base and respond to the MF: MC evaluation and consultation with relevant stakeholders. The re-design is called Moving Forward 2 Change (MF2C). As part of the redesign, the programme has been adapted so that it is up to date with developing literature, suits all settings that it will be delivered in, responds to the evaluation and utilises the skills and experiences of the professionals involved in MF: MC to date. MF2C is now accredited and being rolled out across the country to Local Authorities. Aberdeenshire are currently implementing this programme and rolling down MF:MC.

cjsw@aberdeenshire.gov.uk

01467 532803

Aberdeenshire Joint Sex Offender Project have responsibilities across Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen City Local Authorities for the assessment and delivery of programmes such as Moving Forward 2 Change (MF2C). The JSOP Team provide a statutory service to men convicted in Court and sentenced to a Community Payback Order with a programme requirement, and for men subject to license conditions following a period in Custody. Referrals to the team therefore come from the Court and the Parole Board. The estimated time for completion of MF2C would be between 2-3 years. When assessing and making recommendations to the Court, the team always asks for a 3-year Programme Requirement to allow sufficient time for completion of the programme. There is no maximum time that a man could be open to the service and the team will work with them until all treatment needs are addressed or the period of Supervision or License end. The team delivers programmes in the form of group or two-to-one format with the aim of addressing criminogenic need and reducing the risk of further offending behaviour. The needs that the service works to address primarily includes attitudes to offending, employment, Health, Mental Health and relationships.