Collaborative Rehabilitation: Effective Service Delivery for People with a Forensic History

For most people with a learning disability needing support or rehabilitation to desist from offending behaviours in a community setting, community forensic services (CFS) are an effective means of care provision, and the necessity of these services has long been recognised in the United Kingdom. However, serious case reviews have noted failures in the provision, including a lack of effective leadership and a failure to implement recommended support models which evidence the need for healthy attachments between service users and support staff. The development of effective teams is fundamental to achieving these wider expectations of service delivery. Taking a whole systems approach, this chapter proposes a model of leadership for delivering effective CFSs which recognises the socio-political context within which services operate, examining the interface between good leadership and the effective rehabilitation of forensic clients. Using data from an applied research project, the authors emphasise the importance of embedded and authentic leaders who promote values-led and safe learning environments where healthy collaboration and rehabilitative work can take place. Further, it is discussed how such contexts support the development of positive cultures by providing a safe space from which employees can learn as a community of practice and, in turn, support each other’s practice to achieve the aim of rehabilitation.