Transaction Search Form: please type in any of the fields below.
Date: April 29, 2024 Mon
Time: 9:44 pm
Time: 9:44 pm
Results for social care
1 results foundAuthor: HM Inspectorate of Prisons Title: Social Care in Prisons in England and Wales: A Thematic Report Summary: Section 1. Key findings and recommendations To the Secretary of State for Justice Strategic planning 1.1 There is no comprehensive national strategy for the provision of social care in prisons. Without such a strategy it is hard to see how the requirements arising from local prison assessments of social care needs and the projected growth in groups likely to require help with those needs will be met. Recommendation 1.2 The Secretary of State for Justice should lead coordination of crossgovernmental work to develop a strategy for delivering social care in prisons in England and Wales. To prison governors/directors Leadership and management 1.3 Where prisons established good working arrangements with local authorities early on there was evidence that social care services within prisons developed, or could develop, well. Some of this generated good practice. Crucial to this process was the development of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the prison and local authority and ongoing joint working. In too many prisons there was no clear responsibility for delivering social care and in others there was no MOU to support the development or delivery of services. Recommendation 1.4 All prisons and local authorities in England and Wales should develop an MOU, in line with existing policy, and ongoing joint working arrangements with their local authority to ensure that the social care needs of prisoners are met. Identification of need and assessment 1.5 Screening of prisoners’ social care needs was not sophisticated or robust enough to pick up every need. We were not satisfied that all prisoners with social care needs were identified, either at reception or during their time in custody. We were also not convinced that all establishments, or indeed prisoners, knew that prisoners could self-refer or be referred by family, friends or legal representatives with their consent. While we found some examples of good practice in screening, this was not universal, which could mean that social care needs were unmet. Recommendation 1.6 All prisons and local authorities should implement prompt, ongoing and effective systems for identifying the social care needs of prisoners throughout their stay in prison, which should include the ability of prisoners to self-refer. This process should begin at reception. Care planning and delivery 1.7 There was wide variation in the delivery of social care packages. In effect a ‘postcode lottery’ operated where prisoners could receive a poor, satisfactory or very good service based on which prison they were sent to (for example, they could not choose which social care provider they used, and in some prisons could not self-refer to the local authority). As such, prisoners received inequitable social care support in prisons. 1.8 In a number of prisons the provision of social care by competent peer support workers was very good and well supervised, but in some places we were not assured that peer support workers were appropriately trained, supervised or monitored. This placed peer supporters, and the prisoners they supported, at considerable risk. Recommendations 1.9 The social care support needs of prisoners should be met from the moment a need is identified. Prisoners should not be subject to administrative delays or unnecessarily lengthy processes. 1.10 In line with existing policy, any prisoner providing social care support to another prisoner should be appropriately selected, trained and supervised. Adapting the environment for social care 1.11 Older prisons, and in some instances new prisons, had great difficulty making physical adaptations to support the needs of every prisoner with social care needs. Recommendations 1.12 All prisons should make reasonable and appropriate physical adaptations to promptly meet the social care needs of prisoners. 1.13 Those prisons unable to provide appropriate physical environments suitable for social care should have arrangements in place to transfer prisoners to appropriate establishments which can quickly meet their needs. Continuity of packages of care 1.14 Most social care providers anticipated the need for transitional arrangements for prisoners being transferred or released, with some notable good practice. However, some providers found it difficult to transfer prisoners to receiving establishments which could offer a similar level of care, and we saw evidence of failed transfers where the needs of the prisoner could not be met at the receiving prison. Recommendation 1.15 Prisons and local authorities should ensure that processes are in place for the smooth transfer of prisoners with packages of social care to other establishments and on release into the community. This should include effective information sharing. Details: London, UK: HM Inspectorate of Prisons, 2018. 43p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 17, 2019 at: https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprisons/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2018/10/Social-care-thematic-2018-web.pdf Year: 2018 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprisons/inspections/social-care-in-prisons-in-england-and-wales/ Shelf Number: 154247 Keywords: Accommodations Peer Support Prison Governors Prison Services Prisoners Prisons Secretary of State for Justice Social Care |