Leading the way on neurodiversity in prison: Revolving Doors hosts lived experience panel for Neurodiversity Support Managers
Revolving Doors recently hosted a session where our lived experience members spoke to a nation-wide group of Neurodiversity Support Managers (NSMs), who support neurodiverse people in prison to get the right access to support. Involvement Manager Harriet reflects on the importance of progress to recognise and address neurodiversity in prison:
We know that a disproportionate number of people in prison are neurodiverse. There are suggestions that half of the people entering prison could be expected to have some form of neurodivergent condition (and it could be much more.)
Figures estimate that people in prison with neurodiversity are five times as likely to have been subject to control and restraint, and three times as likely to report having spent time in segregation. They may also face additional challenges in evidencing low risk and progressing through their sentences due to lack of suitable programmes to address offending behaviour and may have added difficulties understanding and complying with their license conditions.
A specific approach is needed to help those with neurodiversity break the cycle of crisis and crime, and Revolving Doors has worked hard on this topic.
Back in October 2021, our Lived Experience Neurodiversity Forum worked with the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) to inform the development of their first Neurodiversity Action Plan, published in June 2022.
This Action Plan led to the creation of the Neurodiversity Support Manager (NSM) roles. Their aim is to enable people in prison with neurodiverse needs to be identified and get the right access to support, and we are so pleased to see that these roles are now in all publicly owned prisons in the country.
Supporting neurodiverse people in prison to prepare for release
On Wednesday 3 July we were invited to host a session with the all the NSMs across the country, to talk specifically on one of their priorities of supporting people in prison to prepare for release. We hosted a panel discussion with our members, and they shared their experiences of navigating the criminal justice system with neurodiversity, touching on the challenges they faced, and things that did or would have helped.
‘I was really excited before and during the session with the NSMs. A better awareness and understanding of neurodiversity in the justice system has been a passion of mine for a number of years and to have this opportunity to speak directly to the NSMs, and so many, was something I will always be grateful for.’
During the discussion, our members spoke about how their diagnoses of neurodiversity came late in life, and with hindsight their neurodiversity was a factor in their offending and impacted their experiences in prison and upon release. The NSMs had the opportunity to ask questions and our members could offer advice on the ways to best support people in prison, and things that would have helped them if NSMs were in place when they were in prison.
‘The session itself was brilliant and the feedback we were receiving in the chat as we were speaking highlighted how important listening to the voices of lived experience is. Being able to use my lived experience to influence the way people think about circumstances which challenged me when I was trapped in the revolving doors is priceless.’
Some common themes that came out during the panel discussion include the importance of peer support for neurodiverse people, both pre and post release. The power of peer support gets people engaged and gives people hope for the future. People need to understand that the road to recovery post release is not a straight one, especially for those with neurodiversity.
What difference can NSMs make?
‘I’m still on cloud nine, two days after, such was the impact of our involvement.’
More needs to be done to support people through this and not resort to recall. Another evident theme was that more screening needs to be done upon entry into prison, which would make people’s journeys easier to navigate. Our members shared that once you know about your neurodiversity, you can start doing something about it, for example, knowing how your brain works and understanding what makes you tick. They really appreciated the opportunity to share their lived experience.
‘Thank you for the opportunity…that is amazing, I look forward to see how that develops.’
We are looking forward to seeing how the NSM roles develop and the difference they can make to neurodiverse people in prison. Revolving Doors are keen to continue sharing lived experience insights with the team.
‘[I hope] that this was just the beginning of our work with the NSM’s, and I’d like to see neurodiversity champions/mentors in every prison up and down the country. The way forward is to continue collaborating with people with lived experience.’
