Carers and Forensic Services

Abstract

This chapter, co-authored by people with lived and academic experiences of a caring role in secure care, focuses on the support needs of family and friend carers. Identifying the marginalisation of families within the forensic mental health system, this chapter argues for the importance of encouraging carers to acknowledge and speak about their own needs as well as the needs of the person they support. People from racialised groups are disproportionately represented within secure care, and layers of discrimination increase the emotional pain felt by their carers. We conclude that carers’ peer support workers, who can draw on shared experiences, have a unique and valuable role in listening to carers and enabling them to access support for themselves.