Unlocking women’s potential: Helping women restart their careers after a criminal conviction

In all the conversations around gender equality in the workplace, one group is almost always overlooked: women who have a criminal record. Thousands of women enter prison in the UK every year, many of them serving short sentences for incredibly minor crimes. One of the most common offences for women is not paying your TV licence. Yet such non-violent offences are enough to saddle you with a criminal record, which continues to affect your life long after your sentence ends.

For women, it can be challenging to get your life back on track and re-enter the workforce after leaving the criminal justice system. It was widely reported recently that women leave prison with little more than a plastic bag and often without a home to go to.

Getting a job is an important step to rebuilding your life after a conviction, but 75% of employers admit to discriminating against people with a criminal record - likely due to social misconceptions of all ‘criminals’ as violent individuals. This problem is also gendered: women are almost three times less likely than men to find work after release from custody.

“A job can be the difference between a bright future and repeating the past. Women tell us they need an income and a sense of purpose in order to move forwards with their lives after a conviction,” said Natasha Finlayson OBE, Chief Executive of Working Chance, the UK’s only employment charity for women with convictions. “Unfortunately, many of them face discrimination and stigma that prevent them from rebuilding their careers, supporting their families, and becoming thriving members of society.”

In addition to prejudice, another challenge is Disclosure and Barring Services (DBS) checks. A recent study found that women are almost twice as likely as men to have their criminal records disclosed when applying for a job. That’s partly because women tend to work more in sectors such as education, nursing or care work, which require enhanced DBS checks.

Then there are also psychological and emotional barriers. “Going through the criminal justice system can be a traumatic experience, grinding down many women’s self-esteem. When you’re constantly viewed as a bad person and aren’t given the chance to prove otherwise, it can be hard to think there’s a future ahead for you and this pushes many women to give up before they even start,” Finlayson said.

These barriers are even higher for Black and other racially minoritised women, according to Working Chance’s latest research. The study found that racially minoritised women have an even tougher time getting jobs and progressing in their careers as a result of their criminal records compared to white peers. All of these challenges combined can place women in precarious financial conditions, which in turn make them more vulnerable to reoffending.

“There is an easy solution: hire women with convictions,” Finlayson said. Since 2009, Working Chance has supported thousands of women on their journeys into financial independence. The organisation also provides employability support – not only for skills like CV-writing or interviewing, but essential skills like confidence-building and workplace communication.

“The women who come to us are incredibly driven and talented – they just need someone to believe in them and give them that chance. We believe that, with the right support, every woman can build the future she wants to lead – whether that’s through a job, volunteering, or entrepreneurship,” Finlayson added.

Despite the initial stigma, more than 80% of employers of people with convictions actually positively rate their reliability, motivation, attendance and performance, while 92% of employers report that diverse recruiting has enhanced their reputation.

“The fact is that hiring women with convictions is not only a socially responsible thing to do, it’s also good for business. The employers we work with repeatedly tell us that they're thrilled by the high calibre of the women we support,” Finlayson said.

It’s also important that women stay in the job and progress in their careers, Finlayson added. “We stay in touch with each woman and her employer, providing in-work support for up to a year after they start a new job. We also advise on inclusive hiring so businesses and organisations can continue nurturing this positive growth.”

“It goes to show that we can all make a difference. Whether you’re a small business looking for your next talent, or an investor looking for the next bright idea, investing in women with convictions is an investment in your vision and in our communities.”