From design to reality: setting up a community service for MAPPA offenders with personality disordersVikki Baker Associate Director (Mental Health)Sandra Oluonye Associate Director (Criminal Justice)

Aims

To introduce Resettle To increase awareness of the

challenges faced by personality disordered men in prison and following release

To share our experiences of developing a service to help men to meet these challenges

Our challenges

How to develop a therapeutic service which engages previously difficult to engage men whilst also addressing the needs of:

MAPPA, the parole board, probation and other CJS agencies

The wider community Staff in local agencies and within the project Existing and developing pathways from prison via

Resettle and into mainstream services

What are the particular requirements and challenges of this work?

Split into two groups: 15 Mins Group one What are the challenges faced by

personality disordered men in prison?What are the pros and cons of prison for this

group?Group twoWhat challenges might be faced in

designing a service to meet the needs of these men when they are released from prison?

3 main challenges

1. Engagement2. Achieving joined- up multi

agency and multi disciplinary work

3. Working within the wider context

Challenge 1: How to foster engagement

In reach work Developing a non-threatening therapeutic

milieu Addressing core needs: money, shelter,

food, emotional warmth and care Structured individual and group work Individual pathways through the project Overcoming stigma and facilitating social

inclusion

Fostering engagement 2

Developing and sharing formulations: how I got here, understanding and anticipating difficulties, seeing the whole person

Where I want to be- realistic goal setting (good lives)

Transparency (e.g. re licence conditions, shared expectations)

Noticing and building on strengths and positives

Challenges to engagement

Previous experience of services Research process Access to prisoners Timeliness of referrals (relationship with

referrers) Non supportive prison environment Managing behaviour that invites rejection

safely“Stick with you service”

Challenge 2: achieving joined up multi agency working

Joint training (block and ongoing) Supervision Acknowledging and valuing difference Supporting each other Acknowledging and understanding

different agendas/ priorities Developing a non blaming culture of

enquiry Acknowledge that non of us are experts!

Joined up working 2

Acknowledging, understanding and surviving difficulties:

Challenges to professional roles and identities

Avoiding competition between models/ priorities (e.g. risk/therapy dichotomy)

Clarity re policies and protocols (e.g. information sharing)

Eliciting support from the board and other stakeholders

Evaluate, review, learn, develop

Challenge 3: working within the wider context

DSPD pilots – lessons learned More need for community provision

High level of unmet and unrecognised need in offendersNeed for move on pathways

Mental health context and policy developments - New Horizons – towards a shared vision of mental health

-Knowledge and Understanding Framework- PD, no longer a diagnosis of exclusion

Community pilots for PD- lessons learnedNeed to work towards recovery and social integrationMaximise service user involvement and empowerment

Not one size fits allWe don’t know enough yet about ‘what works’

Engagement is all!

Criminal justice context and policy developmentsIndeterminate Public Protection sentences

Bradley Review

The community

Finding a property (location, creating the right environment)

Pro-active approach- e.g. with police, KIN networks

Local media Links with accommodation providers,

employers, gyms, sports activities, health provision, social networks

Any thoughts or comments?

Contact Details

vikki.baker@merseyside.probation.gsi.gov.uk

sandra.oluonye@merseyside.probation.gsi.gov.uk