bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A UK survey on how homeless shelters respond to the mental health needs of homeless young people
Authors: Taylor Helen , Stuttaford Maria , Vostanis Panos
Published: August 2011

Young homeless people have mental health needs. Research and national policies have highlighted that accommodation providers need to offer holistic interventions to encourage this vulnerable group to break the cycle of homelessness. Currently no research literature documents how homeless shelters respond to mental health needs. This research was intended to address this research question.A postal questionnaire was sent to 132 managers of homeless shelters, achieving a response rate of 64.4%. Frequencies and descriptive statistics were calculated, and written data was analysed using content analysis. Mental health problems were highly prevalent, and homeless shelters responded in a variety of ways (use of GP services, internal services, referring to external services, in‐house outreach services, no service provision, etc). Only 27.1% of managers of homeless shelters reported that their services were sufficient to meet their young people's needs. These findings reflect the need for inclusion of mental health in homeless shelters' strategic objectives, and development of commissioning of local partnerships with health agencies.
Moving on up?
Authors: Livingstone Sophie
Published: August 2011

Two studies commissioned by the Housing Corporation consider the role and effectiveness of foyers, and the progression made by foyer residents as they move into independent living.
Extra care housing: is it really an option for older people?
Authors: Dawson Laura , Williams Jacquetta , Netten Ann
Published: August 2011

Extra care housing enables older people to remain in their ‘own home’, while providing appropriate housing and access to health and social care services that are responsive to their needs. This type of provision is very much in line with the government policy of fostering people's sense of control and independence, and is a priority area for expansion. We explored the current levels of development and expansion of extra care housing in terms of the numbers of schemes and places and factors that contributed to and were problematic in its development.
The culture of choice: consumerism in the welfare state
Authors: Daniel Emma
Published: August 2011

Increasing the consumer's voice and choice in the housing, care and support sector is not a simple task for a voluntary sector new to the market ethos, pressures and complexity recently introduced. How will the initiatives promoting choice, such as Direct Payments, work with the need to manage the market and constrain costs? There is much work still do do on service user involvement and outcomes, as well as on commissioning and procurement, in order to achieve the improvements we all seek.
Developing incentive schemes for housing organisations: considerations for effective solutions
Authors: McCavery Ian , Ashford Stephanie , Robinson Andrew , Howard Duncan , Walpole Kerry , Kelly Richard
Published: August 2011

The article discusses the key to ‘getting it right’ in incentive schemes. By noting key findings through case studies, it outlines the factors that contribute to a successful programme, and shows how these factors have an inevitable knock‐on effect on other issues in many housing associations today.
The health impact of floating support
Authors: Allen Terry
Published: August 2011

Under the Supporting People Programme, low‐level ‘floating’ support is available to help vulnerable people live independently in their own accommodation. There is a good deal of research to indicate that this sort of support, particularly in social housing, is effective in helping people to sustain their tenancies, and that their well‐being and self‐esteem are improved as a result. However, there is little empirical evidence on the overall health impact of support. As part of a broader evaluation of a floating support service, this longitudinal study used the SF‐36 health questionnaire, complemented by in‐depth interviews, and found evidence of health gain.
Housing ‘unhoused minds’: inter‐personality disorder in the organisation?
Authors: Scanlon Christopher , Adlam John
Published: August 2011

We begin with a discussion of the psychosocial concepts of ‘personality disorder’ and ‘homelessness’, and then seek to re‐define and re‐locate both from the internal world of the patient/client to the psychosocial ‘dis‐memberment’ associated with what we have called the ‘unhoused mind’. We then explore the complex reciprocal relationship between the ‘ordered’ and the ‘dis‐ordered’, the housed and the unhoused, and consider some possible implications for individual workers, staff teams and organisations tasked with attempting to house and/or to care for and support such people.
Substance users and supported housing: what's the score?
Authors: Pannell Jenny
Published: August 2011

Housing and support are essential if people misusing drugs and alcohol are to address their substance misuse and their other physical, mental and emotional health needs. If their housing and related support needs are not addressed at each stage of the treatment journey, they are much less likely to enter or remain in treatment. This article outlines the policy context, discusses barriers in service development, explores the role of housing with support for substance users and gives examples of imaginative commissioning and provision. It is based on recent work for the Department of Health Care Services Improvement Partnership.
Overcoming obstacles to equity release
Authors: Terry Rachel , Gibson Richard
Published: August 2011

More than two million older home owners have housing assets worth over £50,000, but incomes so low that they qualify for means‐tested benefits. Drawing on housing equity could improve their quality of life significantly, helping them to live more comfortably in their own homes for longer. But only about 25,000 home owners (of all ages and incomes) conclude equity release deals each year. This paper identifies the obstacles that deter asset‐rich, income‐poor older home owners from drawing on their housing equity, and suggests ways of overcoming them. The focus is on paying for additional care at home, home improvements and repairs.
Supporting people with complex behavioural difficulties and autistic spectrum disorder in a community setting: an inclusive approach
Authors: Sergeant Liz , Dewsbury Guy , Johnstone Stan
Published: August 2011

Evidence from a variety of sources indicates that there is a correlation between environment, support structures and behavioural response for people with complex needs which affects the quality of life in living environments. As part of the shift from institutional living to community‐based options, an inclusive approach, working on a theoretical and practice‐based response, was established. The aim of the project was to achieve an inclusive package of support while encouraging development of individual skills of daily living, in a flexible and interactive environment. During the course of the project, 39 purpose‐built housing units were established using the approach described, and they are currently the subject of evaluation.
Barriers and gaps in current housing provision for drug and alcohol users
Authors: Duffin Michelle
Published: August 2011

Drawing on research conducted by Perpetuity, a research and consultancy service specialising in crime and community safety, this article provides an overview of the housing needs of drug and alcohol users. The article is based largely on feedback from consultation with service users, and outlines some of the barriers they face when accessing supported housing and mainstream housing; and some of the potential difficulties they can experience when trying to maintain a tenancy. It summarises the importance of partnership working when addressing housing needs among this vulnerable client group. It is essential that these matters are taken seriously and addressed accordingly.
Partnership in securing supported housing for those in drug treatment
Authors: Davies Kate , Kelly Chris
Published: August 2011

This article is a study of how Nottinghamshire Drug and Alcohol Action Team used Drug Intervention Programme monies to support partnership working in Nottinghamshire to secure supported housing for drug‐using offenders who were fast‐tracked into treatment by their involvement with the Criminal Justice System. The article identifies lessons learnt in relation to partnership engagement, community involvement and the importance of involving wrap‐around services in holistic delivery of supported housing and treatment. It also identifies the ongoing challenges of meeting the needs of service users alongside those of housing providers, and looks at very quick wins in relation to housing for substance misusers from bond schemes and use of established debt advisors who can support individuals in their resettlement needs.
Tackling the housing needs of drug users: safer for the user, safer for the community
Authors: McKeown Steve
Published: August 2011

Homelessness and drug use often go hand in hand. This is increasingly recognised and has implications for a number of strategy areas. Both homelessness and drug use can have a substantial impact on individuals, particularly on health, and this can be increased when the two exist together. Although services may exist to house and support drug users, they are not always accessible or desirable for some of the most vulnerable service users. This increases the risks not only to the drug user, but also to the wider community. Without a diverse range of services that can provide for even the most complex cases, the risks to both drug user and community cannot be managed effectively.
Tackling the impact of drugs and alcohol through environmental design
Authors: Owen Katy
Published: August 2011

Substance misuse results in a wide range of problems for supported housing landlords, staff and tenants, including drug dealing and use, burglary, street drinking, begging and drug paraphernalia. A lot can be done to limit the impact of substance misuse, using crime prevention techniques. In particular, application of crime prevention through environmental design and management (CPTEDM) can help. This article provides a background to CPTEDM and some practical examples of how to address specific problems relating to substance misuse. It explains how to carry out a visual audit to identify problems relating to the impact of substance misuse on local communities, at the same time encouraging participation from tenants where appropriate.
Walking the tightrope: the balance between duty of care, human rights and capacity
Authors: Baxter Sue , Carr Helen
Published: August 2011

Support providers have a whole range of legal and professional responsibilities to those to whom they provide services, to their employees and to their co‐workers. However, these responsibilities may be in conflict. Although the need to protect vulnerable service users from harm is important, it should be observed within a framework that protects human rights. This tension is further exacerbated by recognition that some vulnerable people are sometimes incapable of making their own decisions. Providers face the daily challenge of promoting autonomy while protecting the health and well‐being of service users.
Achieving efficiencies in care and support services
Authors: Wood Tristan
Published: August 2011

Housing with support and the efficiency agenda ‐ a toolkit has been published by Tribal Consulting as an aid to organisations involved in care and support provision that are faced with the need to find efficiencies. It is available as a free download from www.tribalgroup.co.uk/?ob=2&id=386 or www.housingcorp.gov.uk. This article sets out the background to the Toolkit's development and the areas it covers.
The hidden needs of long‐term hostel residents
Authors: Gorton Sarah
Published: August 2011

This paper will present some recent data collected by local authorities on their older homeless population, explore the nature of the needs of this population and put some challenging questions to the homeless sector and statutory services about how this section of the population has been marginalised in the past and continues to be neglected. It will suggest that the only way to meet the needs of this population is improved partnership working between homelessness, health, social services and older people's housing.
Supported living through Supporting People: the experiences of people with learning disabilities
Authors: Fyson Rachel , Tarleton Beth , Ward Linda
Published: August 2011

This article reports the findings of research which examined the impact that the Supporting People programme has had on housing and support for adults with learning disabilities. The issue was explored from the perspectives of local Supporting People teams, commissioners and providers of specialist learning disability social care services, and people with learning disabilities themselves.
Does work work for vulnerable people?
Authors: Asquith Lucy , Scott Bernadette
Published: August 2011

This paper summarises the roundtable discussions convened by the charity Carr‐Gomm in October 2007. Participants included providers of services to vulnerable people, policy makers and academics, creating a useful mixture of theoretical and practical knowledge. The Social Exclusion Task Force report in 2006 gives a clear indication of the picture of unemployment for vulnerable people. In addition, developments in funding for key government departments, coupled with population projections, suggests that there is a strong external impetus for vulnerable people to be employed. Discussions covered a range of topics including Who benefits when vulnerable people work?, What constitutes good work? and Barriers to supporting vulnerable people into work.Overall, the group concluded that the most urgent priority is for third sector employers themselves to create flexible work opportunities which can be taken up by vulnerable people. This experience should then be used to disseminate learning and to make the case for change with other employers.
Never a dull moment? Promoting social well‐being in extra care housing
Authors: Evans Simon , Vallelly Sarah
Published: August 2011

Extra care housing is an increasingly popular form of housing with care for older people, largely because of its potential for maximising independence by providing flexible care and support. However, far less attention has been paid to another important aspect of quality of life, social well‐being. This article reports on a research project that explored good practice in promoting social well‐being in extra care housing. We identify several key factors in supporting the social lives of residents and present recommendations for good practice.
Shared living in supported housing ‐ client responses and business decisions
Authors: Vickery Lynn , Mole Veronica
Published: August 2011

The shared housing model has been used widely for many years in association with supported housing. It is the subject of debate among providers and commissioners, who may regard it as old‐fashioned and not conducive to independent living, but for some clients and organisations it continues to offer a positive option in helping alleviate loneliness and isolation. Current growth in the work of social landlords and their agents includes a wider range of client groups with a variety of aspirations and support needs. Shared housing may offer new opportunities to these groups. With the new emphasis on neighbourhoods and inclusion, does the shared housing model possess attributes that commend it to communities in new ways, or is it a model of the past? The article offers suggestions to enable shared housing to be evaluated as part of housing associations' business plans while keeping a focus on residents' views, as reflected in 25 case study locations.
The Strategic Commissioner's box of tricks
Authors: Walker Nigel
Published: August 2011

Commissioning is the Government's preferred method of driving improvement in both health and local government. Commissioning occurs at several levels, from strategic, high‐level visioning to more intimate purchase by or on behalf of individuals who need services. While there is much written about commissioning as an organisational concept, the skills, knowledge and attitudes required to aid strategic commissioners do an excellent job are still not well articulated. This article looks at some of the key knowledge to be acquired in the near future that will assist strategic commissioners in getting to grips with their massive agenda. It charts key moments in recent policy development to reiterate their strategic role, acknowledges cross‐cutting themes and seeks to define some of the more developed thinking that commissioning strategists will have in their box of tricks.
Flexible housing support for vulnerable people in Lancashire
Authors: Smout Lucy
Published: August 2011

The article outlines how the regional northern charity Developing Initiatives Supporting Communities (DISC) and twelve voluntary organisations banded together to win two government‐funded Supporting People contracts to provide flexible housing support in North, West and South Lancashire. It explains who DISC and the 12 Lancashire partners are, and who benefits from the independent living services they offer through one easily accessible service known as Compass. The partnership bucked the trend for large organisations to sweep away small local organisations in competitive tendering bids for public sector contracts. The article summarises the lessons learnt.
Reflections on Supporting People: a case study of Outreach3Way
Authors: Scragg Terry
Published: August 2011

This article describes the experience of a service for people with learning difficulties and the developments that have taken place since the introduction of Supporting People (SP), and its impact on the organisation. With SP on the cusp of change, it is useful to look back at what has been achieved since its introduction in 2003 and what the future holds as further changes begin to have an impact on the service.
Innovation, local engagement and leadership; the future of supported housing in mental health
Authors: Johnson Robin , Robinson Zoe
Published: August 2011

The new local government performance framework, in combination with the move towards greater personalisation in services, creates a radically new funding environment for housing with care and support. From the Public Service Agreement (PSA) on achieving settled accommodation for individuals at risk of exclusion, through to the impact of local joint strategic needs asessments and individual budgets, the principles and mechanisms of the new joint commissioning culture create more opportunities for providers to articulate the needs of the client group served, and to assert the case for more joined‐up and responsive services. This may require different skills and new styles of leadership at local level, and providers who have become adept at being competitors may need to re‐discover the skills of partnership. Meanwhile, new social exclusion policy frameworks are emerging for supported accommodation, which can support moves away from institutional care for those with mental health problems.
My housing experiences
Authors: Smith Angela
Published: August 2011

In my article I describe the experiences I have had as a social housing tenant. In particular, I document my struggles as a black disabled woman to be recognised as an intelligent human being and tenant in my own right. I am writing this so that other disabled tenants will be encouraged to fight for their rights. I also want housing staff to use this article to reflect on their and their organisation's practice.
Tackling what lies beneath the surface: The racism reduction agenda and global, EU and UK approaches to tackling racist hostility
Authors: Law Ian
Published: August 2011

This article makes the case for a ‘racism reduction’ agenda that aims to promote action to reduce racism. It argues for placing this mission and its agenda at the core of agency and community practice. It provides information on the wider national and European context for racism and racist violence, and offers suggestions for practice that can help prevent racial violence and promote race equality. The article draws on recent research carried out for Safer Leeds (Law, 2007).
Empowerment, racist incidents and casework practice
Authors: Chahal Kusminder
Published: August 2011

Empowerment is a key value when working with clients subject to racist incidents in housing services. Casework practice is the process whereby, for example, housing officers, anti‐social behaviour officers and neighbourhood wardens work with a tenant who has reported a racist incident to help resolve the complaint. This article focuses on the need for racist/hate incident caseworkers to be aware of the value of empowerment, and to be able to offer an empowering service when working directly with clients. The article argues that victims of racist incidents value a dedicated and non‐judgemental casework service that offers them some pathway to help, assistance and a secure sense of self and place. The caseworker is able to facilitate all this by the service they offer to their clients by recognising and responding to the values of empowerment, advocacy and a victim‐centred service.
Belonging in Britain: black older people's experiences of a sheltered housing scheme in London
Authors: Allwood Audrey
Published: August 2011

My research, entitled ‘The negotiation of belonging among long‐term West Indian migrants residing in a sheltered housing scheme in Brixton, London’, examined the intricacies of identity and placement. The Supporting People Framework governs this BME supported housing scheme within the Council's equalities ethos. My research sample of 26 women and men aged between 60 and 86 were working‐class migrants who had moved to England in the 1950s and 1960s. Influenced by Gramsci's (1990) ideas about the involvement of ordinary people in social change, and Bhabha's (1994) idea of placement, I investigated how the elders, assisted by others who acted on their behalf, negotiated their place in British society as recipients of support services, and engaged in consultation and user involvement processes. Both conflicting and supportive service provision arose. This created shifting boundaries in relation to belonging that emerged between the elders, their place of birth, their formative culture and their on‐going engagement with new experiences, other groups and the state.
Delivering affordable housing through the planning system: challenges and good practice
Authors: Burges Gemma , Monk Sarah
Published: August 2011

This paper presents the findings of recent research exploring how local authorities are delivering affordable housing through the planning system, focusing on their use of Section 106 (S106) of the Town and Country Planning Act (1990). Policy and practice vary between local authorities. While the amount of affordable housing delivered through S106 has increased, there is pressure on local authorities to improve performance further as affordability has worsened across the country. This paper highlights the issues that local authorities face, and makes some recommendations for good practice.
Housing design for better sight: solutions for living with sight loss
Authors: Slater Anthony
Published: August 2011

There is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to providing suitable accommodation for people with sight loss, but planning at the design stage could eradicate many of the basic problems of living with visual impairment, while well‐considered adaptations to existing housing can also improve the quality of many people's lives. Research funded by Thomas Pocklington Trust, a leading sight loss charity and housing provider, found that much existing housing falls far short of the needs of people with sight loss, but that basic design choices offer major improvements. This article shows how good design can help people lead independent, active lives. It questions the lack of planning for sensory disability in Lifetime Homes and takes lighting as an example of how existing homes can be improved for those living with sight loss.
Supporting survivors and securing access to housing for black minority ethnic and refugee women experiencing domestic violence in the UK
Authors: Banga Baljit , Gill Aisha
Published: August 2011

This paper argues that there is a need for a healthy independent specialist women's refuge sector to address the housing needs of black minority ethnic and refugee (BMER) women. It will consider barriers to equal access that BMER women have and how they could be addressed by specialist services. The paper examines how housing inequality creates additional barriers for BMER women fleeing domestic violence, and provides arguments for the way in which specialist services address inequality from the perspective of race, class and gender. The primary research provides a snapshot of the impact that the lack of access to provision has for BMER women. A case is made for a strengthened independent specialist sector as a way to address the housing needs of women who flee domestic violence. Key recommendations are identified on how housing policies, practices and service provision can be strengthened.
Bringing it all back home: mental health and housing
Authors: Johnson Robin
Published: August 2011

This article calls for better co‐operation and co‐ordination between mental health and housing support services, and greater recognition of the important role of social housing in community mental health care.
Telecare, telehealth and assistive technologies: do we know what we're talking about?
Authors: Doughty Kevin , Monk Andrew , Bayliss Carole , Brown Sian , Dewsbury Lena , Dunk Barbara , Gallagher Vance , Grafham Kathy , Jones Martin , Lowe Charles , McAlister Lynne , McSorley Kevin , Mills Pam , Skidmore Clare , Stewart Aileen , Taylor Barbara , Ward David
Published: August 2011

The development of telecare services in the UK has been supported by grants from the respective governments of Scotland and Wales, and by the Department of Health in England. New services are being established, sometimes to operate alongside existing community equipment services and community alarm services. Elsewhere they are embracing a wider range of services including rehabilitation, intermediate care and health services designed to reduce use of unscheduled care services. This paper discusses the difficulties in understanding the scope of telecare services, and the definitions of services that will need to be confirmed if service users are to be able to choose appropriately if offered direct payments. Two service models are offered, one of which uses telehealth as an umbrella term to cover all telecare, e‐care and m‐care, and telemedicine, where the former includes all such services offered in the service user's home, including those of a medical nature. The second model views telecare alongside assistive technologies and telemedicine as one of three technology groups designed to make people more independent, or to bring care closer to home. There is significant overlap between the three groups, which justifies the introduction of a new term ‐ ARTS (assistive and remote technology services) ‐ to describe this area of support.
Building to last: the importance of designing life‐long communities
Authors: Cann Paul
Published: August 2011

The article discusses how policy‐makers and local government need to listen to the voice of older people when designing the communities we live in. It highlights how simple, joined‐up thinking can make a big difference to older people's lives.
Reflections on developing an assistive technology/telecare service as a model for change management, creative thinking and workforce development
Authors: Faife Dyllis
Published: August 2011

This paper explores the wider significance that the development of telecare services has for social care in addition to supporting people to remain independent at home. It considers the impact of this particular development as a model for change management and as a model for developing a social care workforce ‘fit for the future’. The paper takes a whole‐systems, integrated approach to service development and highlights important issues such as infrastructure, management, the capacity to innovate and workforce development. The paper emphasises that the development of new skills and new ways of thinking are even more important than the technology itself and that partnership is an essential ingredient for success. The context and content of this paper are informed and influenced by the experience of developing a new worker role, the assistive technology support worker, in Norfolk; and from the experience of designing and implementing a successful county‐wide technology‐based service.
Mental health and the settled accommodation indicator in the SEA PSA: priority areas for local action
Authors: Johnson Robin
Published: August 2011

Four routes or pathways have now been identified by which individuals may come within the scope of PSA 16 National Indicator 149, which is concerned with monitoring efforts to achieve settled accommodation for individuals with significant mental health problems. This article focuses on their needs and the identification of those with mental health needs as seen through these four principal routes. An understanding of these four possible pathways can help to identify areas for priority action, local delivery chains and partnerships, and also highlight some of the challenges and risks in and for delivery.
Personalisation — implications for housing providers: issues in supporting housing research, policy and practice
Authors: Walden David
Published: August 2011

Personalisation means thinking about housing, care and support services in an entirely different way. It means starting with the person as an individual. This article looks at what personalisation means for housing providers, for instance tailoring support to people's individual needs to enable them to live full and independent lives. The Social Care Institute for Excellence says that housing providers must now be focused on giving people much more choice in how and where they want to live, as well as being committed to ensuring that those homes are well‐designed, flexible and accessible. We explore the challenges associated with this significant transformation in adult social care and look at case studies where businesses and individuals are already geared up to put people first.
Choice and control in specialist housing: starting conversations between commissioners and providers
Authors: Vallelly Sarah , Manthorpe Jill
Published: August 2011

In July 2007, Housing 21 began an exploration of how changes to the system of social care called personalisation might impact on specialist housing provision in England. Personalisation now forms the basis of English social care policy focusing the delivery of public services on what people might want or choose, in the context of eligibility criteria and means testing. It is designed to promote greater choice and control of the support that people receive.However, there have been concerns that the views of older people living in extra care housing settings have not been heard in the implementation of personalisation. In 2008‐09 Housing 21 engaged older people and other groups with an interest in sheltered and extra care housing to debate the implications of personalisation for current and future housing, care and support services. This article discusses what arose from this consultation and its relevance to housing providers and commissioners.
The TSA's proposed national regulatory standards and the implications for tenants with care and support needs
Authors: Wood Tristan
Published: August 2011

The new regulatory body for social housing, the Tenant Services Authority, has published the results of its National Conversation with social housing tenants and landlords and has been consulting on its initial proposals for future national regulatory standards covering housing association and local authority stock. This article examines the proposed standards and sets out some views on how they could be developed in relation to tenants requiring care and support.
The effectiveness of the Supporting People programme — a look at the recent Audit Commission review
Authors: Scott Bernadette
Published: August 2011

The Audit Commission has produced a review of the Supporting People programme covering the period 2005‐2009. This article summarises the review, which covers the impact of the Supporting People programme, a review of the Government's response to the Audit Commission's 2005 report, an assessment of ongoing and new challenges and options for overcoming identified barriers. Although there is evidence of poor understanding and implementation in some areas, overall the benefits of good housing‐related support services and their preventative value remain important.
Support workers and people with learning disabilities: participative and life history research
Authors: Monaghan Valerie , Cumella Stuart
Published: August 2011

Support workers have more day‐to‐day contact with people with a learning disability than any other group of staff, but a high proportion are unqualified and untrained, and there are problems in recruitment and retention. This paper uses undisclosed participant observation and life history methods to analyse the experiences of a support worker in six agencies that provide community‐based care for people with learning disabilities. It was found that a lack of training is associated with limited awareness of the needs of people with learning disabilities, and contributes to stress among staff. Some support workers manage stress by disengaging from their clients. Person‐centred approaches had limited impact, and even agencies committed to person‐centred planning can be reluctant to implement it with clients with severely impaired communication. The greatest commitment to staff induction and training and person‐centred approaches was found in small organisations managed by families. It is possible that large residential care providers are more likely than small agencies to have extended lines of management and standardised procedures, and further research is needed to assess whether these factors are associated with disempowerment of staff and clients.
Personalisation and housing: connections, challenges and opportunities
Authors: Head Jon
Published: August 2011

This article refers to common values and principles underlying personalisation and housing, and the importance of personalisation for providers like Hanover (a leading provider of housing and support services for older people). It also refers to challenges that personalisation presents for supported housing services, such as extra care. Possible responses to these challenges include a re‐emphasis on listening to what residents ‐ as well as commissioners ‐ want, an honest appraisal of the concept of choice and its implications, especially in services such as extra care, and asking whether people might still be asked to choose a ‘package’ of core services, in order to retain sustainable models that will support other people now and in the future. The article then describes the Housing Associations' Charitable Trust's (hact's) Up2Us project, a key initiative to put supported housing service users centre stage in commissioning and purchasing care and support, in which Hanover and the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham are among the partners.
The development and future of deaf forensic mental health services
Authors: Gibbon Simon , Doyle Colin
Published: August 2011

Purpose

This paper aims to review the need for and development of specialist deaf secure mental health services.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is a review article; it begins by giving a brief overview of deafness and the relationship between deafness, mental health problems and offending. Following this, relevant literature and Department of Health (DoH) guidance is summarised and a description of the current UK services is given.

Findings

In 2001, Young et al. highlighted the needs of deaf mentally disordered offenders and the requirement for specialist forensic mental health services for this group. Since then several DoH guidance documents have been published that, amongst other things, highlighted the need to develop deaf forensic mental health services. There have now been substantial service developments in this area but substantial gaps remain – most notably, a lack of specialist mental health provision for deaf prisoners.

Originality/value

The paper offers insights into the development and future of deaf forensic mental health services.
Including the excluded: high security hospital user perspectives on stigma, discrimination, and recovery
Authors: Williams Anna , Moore Estelle , Adshead Gwen , McDowell Anthony , Tapp James
Published: August 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to document reflections on experiences of stigma and discrimination as described by predominantly black and ethnic minority (BME) service users in a high security hospital via a slow‐open therapy group. Service users from BME are known to have higher drop‐out rates and poorer treatment outcomes in non‐forensic therapy settings (Rathod et al.). Further, they are over‐represented in forensic services and often disengage, because their views and feelings are poorly understood (Ndegwa).

Design/methodology/approach

Thematic analysis was applied to a sample of electronically stored running records of group sessions, in which experiences of care, discrimination, hope, despair, and recovery were shared.

Findings

Over a three‐year period, 18 forensic patients participated in the group. Group members' reflections on detention, offending and illness were collected. Themes relating to isolation and distance, other barriers to recovery and strategies for coping “against the odds”, are illustrated via anonymised material from the sessions.

Research limitations/implications

Stigma and discrimination are difficult concepts to hold in mind, and are therefore difficult to access. Nevertheless, their effects can be so all encompassing for patients in high security that hope is hard to sustain. The extent to which the themes generated by this sample are representative of those pertinent to others in similar secure settings is inevitably beyond the scope of this paper.

Practical implications

Service users can, and do, share ideas about possibilities for surviving despite their past. Their comments shed light on barriers to engagement for this potentially marginalized population, and possibilities for improving the capacity of the clinical service to hear their voices on an issue of such importance to their potential for recovery.

Social implications

Specific attention to the perspectives of all service recipients on the impact of illness and their recovery is required in a modern health service, where inclusion is a guiding principle.

Originality/value

Interventions for addressing stigma for the most marginalized are infrequently described, but are potentially relevant for all.
Architectural change and the effects on the perceptions of the ward environment in a medium secure unit for women
Authors: Long Clive G. , Langford Vikki , Clay Rebecca , Craig Lorraine , Hollin Clive R.
Published: August 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe the architectural design considerations and effects of moving patients from an adapted Victorian medium secure unit to a purpose built facility.

Design/methodology/approach

Patients and staff views of the old and new unit environments were compared in terms of homeliness, architectural features, ward atmosphere (WAS) and patient satisfaction.

Findings

The new unit was rated as more homely. The change of environment did not increase risk behaviours and was associated with a reduction in symptomatology.

Research limitations/implications

Limitations of the study include the small‐sample size and choice of measure of WAS. More research is needed into the constituents of “planned” environments where the physical environment is the primary intervention.

Practical implications

These include the need for close collaboration among architects, clinicians and patients in order to maximise the therapeutic benefit of the built environment.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to a small literature that “bridges” architectural, psychiatric and environmental domains.
Rationing Access to Treatment Regimes
Authors: Shaw Stephen
Published: August 2011

Should treatment regimes be targetted, if so how, and what are the consequences for those left out? Stephen Shaw assesses the approaches.
Pre‐Sentence Reports, Risk Assessment and the Adversarial Process
Authors: Harris Mark
Published: August 2011

The role of the Probation Service in providing an information and assessment process to the courts is currently in a state of considerable flux. This paper, in reviewing the developments in Pre‐Sentence Report (PSR) writing by the Probation Service, suggests that for a number of reasons reports have become potentially contentious.
Risk Assessment In Forensic Mental Health
Authors: Crighton David
Published: August 2011

Risk assessment is a fundamental aspect of forensic practice. This paper reviews some of the logical issues inherent in the process of assessing risk. A structured generic model for conducting such assessments is outlined and explicated. This is followed by coverage of some of the major recent research findings, with a particular focus on the assessment of risk of violence towards others in forensic mental health contexts. In conclusion some of the major points for practice and future research are discussed.
Cross Gender Supervision and Control in Male Prisons in England: A Summary of Officers' Perspectives
Authors: Adler Joanna
Published: August 2011

This article reports findings from interviews conducted with 120 officers working within medium to high security prisons in England. It presents part of a project designed to test whether the impact of women officers in male prisons was similar in England to that described elsewhere. In total, 120 officers and 120 prisoners participated.
Addressing Domestic Violence
Authors: Taylor Ann‐Marie , Tipton Daniel
Published: August 2011

Domestic violence is a longstanding criminal behaviour although society has only recognised it as such in relatively recent times. The emerging issue of domestic violence has brought about changes in the way it is perceived, and how it is managed by different agencies including the response of the police. This paper highlights the effects of domestic violence on its victims, the reasons why people appear to remain in abusive relationships, and the initiatives taken by police forces to address this major crime area.
The Use of ‘As required’ Antimuscarinic Medication for the Treatment of Antipsychotic Drug Induced Side‐effects
Authors: Birmingham Luke , McClelland Norman , Bradley Caroline
Published: August 2011

This study investigates the prescription of antimuscarinic medication and the opinions of qualified psychiatric nursing staff regarding the use of ‘as required’ antimuscarinic drugs at a large secure psychiatric unit. No instances of inappropriate prescribing of antimuscarinic agents were found.
The Newsworthiness of Crime
Authors: Bates Adrian
Published: August 2011

The manner in which the media reports crime stories and criminal behaviour, and how it portrays offenders, impacts upon the public perception of the type of services available to those requiring treatment, containment or training in the centres in which we work. News reporting not only shapes the views of the general public but also places in the spotlight those who work within these services.This paper examines the position of crime, and criminal or deviant behaviour in the hierarchy of newsworthiness and explores some ways in which public services are protecting themselves from the dangers of unwanted media attention.
Self‐inflicted Deaths in Prisons in England and Wales from 1988 to 1996
Authors: Towl Graham
Published: August 2011

In this study of 420 self‐inflicted deaths in prisons a number of themes emerge. First, important definitional issues in the study of suicide. Second, the observation of the inverse relationship between risk of suicide and time spent at the individual prison institution. Third, that significant age group differences in suicide rates are not distinguishable in prison. Fourth, that factors associated with an increased or decreased risk of suicide are often dynamic at a societal, institutional and individual level.
Women, Gender, Security, Psychiatry
Authors: Mackereth Sarah
Published: August 2011

The debate about secure psychiatric provision for women has focussed on the twin issues of security and mixed or single‐sex environments. New initiatives are now developing within the private sector which expand the range and diversity of psychiatric provision dedicated to meeting women's needs. This creates a long overdue impetus to drive policy, practice and research. An example of an empowering approach within a single‐sex unit is briefly discussed; such developments call for a new debate about evaluating effective intervention.
Culture and Change: linking business focus to operational competence in the Prison Service
Authors: Roden Chris
Published: August 2011

The Prison Service Core Competence Framework (CCF) is increasingly being used for the purposes of enhancing recruitment, selection, training and staff development. The framework may well have applications across the forensic field.
What do Forensic Psychologists in Prisons do?
Authors: Towl Graham
Published: August 2011

The Prison Service is the largest single employer of forensic psychologists in the UK. This paper gives an overview of the range of contributions from this growing group of applied psychologists.
A Suitable Case for Treatment
Authors: Prins Herschel
Published: August 2011

Some problems involved in the one‐to‐one management of offenders and offender‐patients demonstrating severe personality disorder (psychopathic disorder) are reviewed against a background of current public and central government concerns.
Diversion of Mentally Disordered Offenders ‐ to what and when?
Authors: Riordan Sharon , Wix Stuart
Published: August 2011

Provision of comprehensive diversion services for the mentally disordered who come into conflict with the law offers benefits for patients and all those involved in the process, including the police, crown prosecution service and other agencies. It gives access to the most appropriate disposal for this vulnerable group. This case study of a man who had multiple contacts with the diversion services in Birmingham illustrates the particular difficulties associated with diversion from custody for mentally disordered individuals, particularly where there are multiple problem areas. Examination of the case suggests that in spite of inter‐agency commitment to the philosophy of diversion, in some instances a period spent in custody is unavoidable.
Suicide prevention in prisons: policy and practice
Authors: McHugh Martin
Published: August 2011

A detailed overview of policy and practice in suicide prevention in prisons is given, focusing on England and Wales. The current strategy for suicide awareness is outlined and its implementation discussed. Future developments aimed at reducing suicide are reviewed.
Reflections upon suicide in prisons
Authors: Towl Graham
Published: August 2011

This paper provides a review of the language used to describe suicidal and self‐injurious behaviours in prisons. The effects of such linguistic practices on the treatment of suicidal prisoners are critically evaluated. The paper concludes with coverge of evidence‐based practice in the area of suicide and intentional self‐injury. A number of possible future developments are discussed.