Support for People with Social Care Needs on Release from Prison (3)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Care and Support for People with Social Care Needs on Release from Prison (Strand 3)
IRAS ID
277709
Contact name
Katrina Forsyth
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
The University of Manchester
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
2019-371, HMPPS
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 7 months, 31 days
Research summary
Research Summary
Further to the introduction of the Care Act (2014) local authorities in England are responsible for identifying, assessing and meeting the social care needs of people in prison and people released from prison into the community with a package of care and support. However, although release from prison is associated with high rates of mortality, homelessness, social isolation, unemployment and debt, previous research suggests that most authorities initially focused on people in custody. Indeed, little is known about the number of people released from prison with social care needs, the nature of their needs or how best to meet them and there are serious concerns about the release planning process. These include insufficient notice of release, problems establishing which authority is responsible for certain prisoners and difficulties transferring assessments between authorities. Against this background, this research will assist local authorities and prisons develop systems that can effectively target and deliver care for this population and inform resource planning. As such, it also has the potential to improve social care outcomes for people released from prison.\n\nThe wider research study has four main strands comprising 1/ a review of the literature; 2/ national surveys of local authorities and prison establishments; 3/ interviews with staff and ex-prisoners; and 4/ workshops with staff and ex-prisoners. This application relates to Strand 3 only, in which interviews will be undertaken with approximately 16 local authority, prison and probation staff and 12 people with recent lived experience of the release planning process in four sites that provide a different mix of services for ex-prisoners. Each individual interview is anticipated to last approximately an hour and will focus on better understanding how and why problems arise in the release-planning process and how best to resolve these.\n\n\n\n
Summary of Results
Through our scoping review of the current literature, we discovered there was little information on the number of people with social care needs on release from prison. However, there was a general indication that the number was increasing. Systems for identifying people who developed social care needs after reception appeared rare, with most authorities relying on prison and healthcare staff recognising people during everyday interactions.
From surveys sent to local authorities, formal processes for identifying people who developed social care needs during their prison stay appeared to be lacking. There was little indication of organised case finding beyond reception and no mention of screening pre-release. Not many who responded reported collecting data on the number of prisoners with eligible social care needs released to the community. Those that did had released sixty prisoners with social care needs in the previous twelve months. Authorities also often lacked sufficient notice to make adequate plans for release. Challenges arose relating to the nature of the person’s crime, health status, social situation, and sentence length, with many prisoners having multiple complicated needs. The use of planning was variable, as were initiatives to prepare people with social care needs for release. Just 7% of authorities were confident that they were always notified when an individual with social care needs was released to their authority from a prison elsewhere, and almost half were not at all confident.
Interviews with staff involved in organising social care on release indicated little formal planning for when an individual is due to be released from prison, in particular with social care needs. A lack of clear responsibility for social care in prisons feeds directly into release processes, where ownership and processes for individuals needing social care support appeared undefined and inadequate. The combination of this and the prison system’s rigid and time-limited pre-release planning appeared to lead to limited support for individuals with social care needs which was often too little, too late.
It was also clear that the provision of social care in prison and on release is affected by the politics which surrounds the prison system. Release processes often relied upon the collaboration of different local authorities, which often appeared to be poor. Governmental-level decisions and funding were also considered as potential barriers. Broadly, there appeared to be significant confusion and limited knowledge about the content of the Care Act across authorities. The lack of a national database means that the number of people being released from prison with social care needs is unknown, as are the nature of these needs. Interviewees noted that many people leaving prison have multiple complicated needs and that the systems for identifying them are not up to scratch.
We suggest that screening for social care needs should happen not only on prison entry, but throughout a person’s time in prison. In general, there is a need to raise awareness about people’s rights to social care, as well as establishing and promoting social care within the prison system. Pathways to social care on release need to be substantial, clearly defined, and the same across establishments and authorities. Prisons should also consider the timeframe within which they begin to plan for release, with the current window not long enough to arrange support in complex cases. Additionally, the interaction of local authorities when preparing and administrating releases should be considered. Issues with information sharing and ongoing disputes over sending and receiving authorities’ responsibilities often mean support arrives too late. Local authorities’ understanding of the Care Act and the lack of data regarding the numbers and needs relating to social care in prison and on release should be addressed as a priority.
REC name
Wales REC 3
REC reference
20/WA/0241
Date of REC Opinion
17 Sep 2020
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion