Providing Social Care following Release from Prison: Emerging Practice Arrangements Further to the Introduction of the 2014 Care Act

Robinson, Louise; Tucker, Sue; Hargreaves, Claire; Roberts, Amy; Shaw, Jennifer; Challis, David

Abstract

Although prisoners have significant care needs and are particularly vulnerable following release, there have been longstanding concerns about their social care. Among its provisions, the 2014 Care Act defined the responsibilities of local authorities for identifying and meeting the social care needs of prisoners. Here, we report the findings of a national survey of local authorities undertaken in 2016, which explored the early arrangements put in place following the Care Act for prisoners on release. Eighty-eight of 158 local authorities responded, including 81 per cent of those with prisons in their catchment area. Key themes included difficulties with case finding, with a reliance on referrals from other agencies, although provision for those already known to local authorities generally worked well. Other themes were difficulties in sharing assessments and information between local authorities, and problems with care planning and co-ordination with other agencies. We discuss some of the tensions and challenges inherent in implementing the Act and highlight areas requiring attention, including the need for more robust case finding and systems for information transfer. We also suggest measures to strengthen arrangements.

Citation

Robinson, L., Tucker, S., Hargreaves, C., Roberts, A., Shaw, J., & Challis, D. (2022). Providing Social Care following Release from Prison: Emerging Practice Arrangements Further to the Introduction of the 2014 Care Act. British Journal of Social Work, 52(2), 982-1002. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcab082

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Apr 13, 2021
• Online Publication Date: May 13, 2021
• Publication Date: Mar 1, 2022
• Deposit Date: Apr 15, 2021
• Publicly Available Date: May 14, 2023
• Journal: British Journal of Social Work
• Print ISSN: 0045-3102
• Electronic ISSN: 1468-263X
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 52
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 982-1002
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcab082
• Keywords: Social Sciences (miscellaneous); Health(social science)
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/5467712
• Publisher URL: https://academic.oup.com/bjsw/advance-article-abstract/doi/10.1093/bjsw/bcab082/6274930?redirectedFrom=fulltext
• Additional Information: This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced version of an article accepted for publication in The British Journal of Social Work following peer review. The version of record Robinson, L., Tucker, S., Hargreaves, C., Roberts, A., Shaw, J., & Challis, D. (2021). Providing Social Care Following Release from Prison: Emerging Practice Arrangements Further to the Introduction of the 2014 Care Act. British Journal of Social Work is available online at: https://academic.oup.com/bjsw/advance-article/doi/10.1093/bjsw/bcab082/6274930 and https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcab082