Containment in the Community

Contributors:John Adlam, Jina Barrett, Ruth Berkowitz, William Crouch, Oliver Dale, Rob Hale, Gabriel Kirtchuk, David Morgan, David Reiss, Rosemary Richards, Alla Rubitel, Christopher Scanlon, Mike Solomon, Philip Stokoe, Richard Taylor, Jessica YakeleyWith a foreword by R.D. HinshelwoodThis volume is designed to support the day-to-day practice of all staff working in the community that need to support individuals who manifest antisocial behaviour often complicated by chronic mental disorder, or people whose presentation causes similar stressful dilemmas. The book draws on experience gained across a wide spectrum of settings: within the NHS, the National Offender Management Services (NOMS) and the wider criminal justice services, as well as various services for children, young people and their families.The subject matter of this text covers antisocial, offending and challenging behaviours: in particular behaviours that create unusual levels of anxiety in practitioners or the public. Valuable insights are offered, with examples, into ways of thinking about these problems and practical guidance is offered on the way professional teams and the individuals within them can develop and maintain effective work. Whilst not explicitly focussed on those identified as having a personality disorder, the material concerns individuals with psychological difficulties that are pervasive, enduring and which have a particularly intrusive impact on caring staff members working with them.This book is a valuable contribution to service improvement and provides essential support for our ability to provide effective intervention and a more capable workforce to assist those with complex and often challenging needs.'It is an exceptionally difficult task for practitioners working in this complex and demanding field to find the time and space to think reflectively about the challenges and anxieties they face. Containment in the Community achieves the rare and enviable goal of facilitating a wide-ranging therapeutic discourse, and at the same time never loses its focus on the application of good clinical practice for real people in real settings. This book should be read by anyone with an active interest in forensic mental health services.'- Michael Howlett, Formerly Director, The Zito Trust'The criminal justice system is swamped with people, of all ages, suffering from some form of mental health problem, for whom too little is done. Fundamental to any action are trained mental health practitioners. This collection of articles by a variety of experts is both welcome and timely because it presents stark realities to those responsible for determining both what must and what cannot at present be done.'- Lord David Ramsbotham, Former Chief Inspector of Prisons