Neurodiversity Offender Health team – what do they do?
For Neurodiversity Celebration Week 2025 (17-23 March) we wanted to take the opportunity to highlight some of the fantastic work of our Neurodiversity Offender Health team.
The Neurodiversity Offender Health team support people in a prison setting who are suspected or confirmed to have autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and/or learning disabilities. The team provides care from the day an individual arrives in prison to the day they leave.
We have a team of eight neurodiversity practitioners, each working in a different East Midlands prison.
Allison Woodhead, Clinical Lead for Neurodiversity (Autism, ADHD, Intellectual Developmental Disorders) - Offender Health said:
"We act as passionate advocates for the people we support. Neurodiverse individuals in prison face many challenges and barriers to participation and inclusion. We ensure that the prison and criminal justice system understands the reasonable adjustments needed to help an individual to as feel safe and well as possible, in a prison setting.
"We work together, in partnership with the person, to identify their skills, interests, strengths and needs. It's important to us that they contribute their views and experiences when it comes to changing their lives for the better .
"The care the team provide is tailored to their needs. Below you will find just one example of how the team supported an individual. "
Case Study: Neurodiversity support in prison
Background
A highly articulate, intelligent, and educated, but socially insular, individual presented to the Neurodiversity team, struggling to cope with social relationships. He told the neurodiversity practitioner that he struggled to read social cues and understand emotions. He also had difficulty asking for help when he needed it and wanted to understand more about social communication.
The individual entered prison with an autism diagnosis, but had been offered no information or support following his diagnosis.
How was he supported
He was supported to work with the practitioner to reflect on social communication strengths and needs and to think about his sensory modulation needs and he attended group sessions, with peers, established to provide a neuro affirmative approach to understanding autism. These sessions aim to improve a personal understanding of how to celebrate a diagnosis of autism and make choices that reflect strengths a person's whilst recognising that there are situations where it can be hard for a person to cope with the Neurotypical expectations and strategies that can help.
Through group work and support from peers and the neurodiversity Practitioner, he gained a clearer understanding of what autism means for him personally
He was able to express his thoughts in group settings, which increased his comfort and honesty. He alsobegan to trust specific individuals, seeking out support and utilizing mentoring relationships. The Neurodiversity prison support manager has developed a support network of Neurodiversity mentors in prison who act as advocates and support one another.
Outcomes
Through the work with the team he gained greater self-awareness, which led to better strengths based decision-making and improved coping.
He continues to work on understanding social situations and engaging more effectively with others whilst promoting a better understanding of Neurodiversity with prison staff, ensuring that Neuroaffirmative approaches are taken in prison settings and place the expectation of Neurotypical majority to have empathy and to change things to meet the needs of every individual.
Post-release support
Upon release, he will be connected with a virtual support service offering guidance for neurodiverse individuals in various locations.
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