Complex Responses
This report aims to understand the many and complex reasons behind poor frontline service responses to adults with multiple needs. It focuses particularly on those in contact with the criminal justice system. It also explores the primary and underlying factors that contribute to this poor response. We hope that the report will help policymakers and those who commission, design and deliver services to reach a better understanding of the factors involved. We also hope that this better understanding will lead to improved standards of care for a vulnerable population.
The report is the result of a large scoping review of the research literature, which followed discussions with our National Service User Forum. Frequently reporting poor responses from a wide range of frontline services, service users were concerned that positive policy was not always reflected in practice. The report explores what multiple needs are and why they matter, and includes chapters that explore:
- Service users’ experience of frontline services
- Contributing factors and barriers to change
- Improving the frontline response to adults with multiple needs.
It finishes with a summary of the key learning points, looking at inter-personal, professional and organisational, and structural factors.
