Management of bullying on an NHS open forensic unit for people with borderline/mild learning disabilities

Abstract

The purpose of the study discussed here was to review the experience and management of bullying on an open forensic borderline learning disability unit. Semi‐structured interviews were used to gather the perceptions, experiences and recommendations of service users about current and future management of bullying. Staff completed a questionnaire seeking information on the incidence and characteristics of bullying, management techniques and training requirements. Service users' results highlighted the importance of the level and predictability of staff presence on the ward, difficulties in reporting episodes for fear of retribution, and improving availability of information about bullying. Staff results highlighted a consistent response to bullying but reluctance to rate highly the strategies used or their confidence in assessing bullying, and a desire for bullying‐specific training. Both groups were interested in unitwide interventions to promote greater openness and wider involvement in dealing with bullying and to reduce the impact of negative factors such as fear and secrecy.

Forensic aspects in people with intellectual disabilities

“…This report looked at 202 offenders by using the Vineland Adaptive Behaviour Scales (VABS) and the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test (K-BIT), which supported a convergence between adaptive behaviour and cognitive skills, although caution is advised [49]. Finally, we have seen reports on the Care Programme Approach (CPA) and bullying within forensic intellectual disability services [50,51].…”

Violence and under‐reporting: learning disability nursing and the impact of environment, experience and banding

“…1993) are just some of the descriptive terms used directly in relation to this group. An examination, furthermore, of bullying within a forensic learning disability service identified verbal and physical aggression as the main problems, and similar behaviours ascribed a different label according to the focus of the study (Sasse & Gough 2005). Over recent decades, the term ‘challenging behaviour’ has gained in acceptance, used originally primarily in relation to those with a severe learning disability and significant communication difficulties (Emerson & Bromley 1995).…”

Staff attitudes towards patient‐to‐patient bullying in a secure learning disability population: a study of sex differences

“…However, there has been no research exploring staff attitudes towards bullying in secure settings, including forensic learning disability settings. With regard to the latter, there has been a single paper exploring the experience and management of bullying in a forensic learning disability unit (Sasse & Gough, 2005). This was a small-scale study employing interviews with seven service users and fifteen staff, focusing on general views about the nature and extent of bullying, and implications for intervention.…”

“…The first paper outlining a need for such research appeared only in 2002 (Ireland & Snowden, 2002). To date, there are only four published studies on patient-to-patient bullying (Ireland, 2004;Ireland, 2005a;Ireland & Bescoby, 2005;Sasse & Gough, 2005).…”