Clinks response: the impact of Covid-19 on DCMS sectors
Response to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee's inquiry
In response to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Committee’s inquiry on the impact of Covid-19 on DCMS sectors, we focus on the impact on the voluntary sector working in criminal justice. The response highlights the ways in which the sector has adapted to Covid-19 restrictions and the challenges it has been facing delivering support to people in contact with the criminal justice system.
The response particularly focuses on the financial impact of Covid-19 on the voluntary sector, the challenges it has experienced accessing financial support and emergency funding and concerns amongst the sector about long-term sustainability. Our recommendations include for the government to establish further funds for the voluntary sector with a specific grant programme made available to organisations working in the criminal justice system; for sensible and proportionate contract management during this challenging time; and for organisations to be able to retain underspend on contracted activities in order to fund the costs of remobilisation.