Our Story

Lady smiling

Our Story

From modest beginnings to a national voice for change

Our journey began in 1993

We were driven by the need to know why one particular group of individuals was trapped in the revolving door of homelessness, crime and mental health problems. Our goal was to transform the lives of people let down by a system that was routinely failing them.

Our progress

Magnifying Glass

We started by gathering evidence

Our researchers worked in police stations, prisons and other places where our group was regularly present.
Dialogue

We expanded our understanding

By the Millennium we had become acknowledged pioneers in our field, with a unique reputation for involving people who have suffered the effects of the revolving door in every aspect of our work. Our team had taken ownership of a national problem and was finding answers where nobody had previously thought to look.
Big Ben

We are finding ways to break the cycle

The first of a number of innovations – our Link Worker model – received accolades in government policy statements. It has now been adopted by a range of organisations to support people with multiple and complex needs.

We’ve shone the light on multiple and complex needs

From being an ‘invisible’ group as late as the 1990s, those suffering multiple problems including homelessness, mental health issues, substance misuse, domestic violence, repeat victimisation and offending are now the subject of national discussion and debate. The Revolving Doors Agency is proud to have led that change.

We pioneered the Link Worker Model

The Link Worker scheme offers practical and emotional support to people who are suffering the effects of the revolving door. They’re shown how to make contact with those who can help them tackle the underlying causes of their offending behaviour. The Link Worker approach has now been adopted by a range of organisations.

We helped to bring about short-sentence support

Using robust evidence-based arguments we succeeded in getting support provided for prisoners being released after short sentences, where previously no help was given.

We helped make liaison and diversion services a reality

By placing mental health and other complex needs specialists in police stations and courts, offenders with mental health, learning disability or substance misuse vulnerabilities can be identified quickly. They can then be supported during their sentence or perhaps diverted into the care of a health or social care service.