Forensic Psychology Services

Understanding and working with...

Our ‘Understanding and working with…’ courses, detailed below, cover areas such as the basics of working with risk, or different presentations such as learning disability and personality disorder, and are perfect for services moving in to forensic working and looking to develop their staff team.

Contact us to discuss tailored options for your service with a varied focus and emphasis dependent on your client group. Alternatively, sign up to our mailing list to receive information about scheduled events and training.


Autism Spectrum Disorders

Join us to explore and understand the central features of autism spectrum disorders, bust myths about autism, and identify ways to work with people with autistic traits. This course will cover ideas about how to adapt services to better meet the needs of an autistic client group, work more responsively, and develop skills to work with people with autism.  This course will include learning about autism in a forensic client group, and gender differences in autism. Why not contact us to discuss tailored options for your service.


Difficult to engage clients

Many clients in forensic services are there against their will, often with a traumatic history of difficult times with professionals. Unsurprisingly, this group can struggle to engage with services, and can be hard to reach. This course helps professionals understand processes that underlie the difficulties experienced by many of our clients, in order to work more responsively. The course includes practical skills for engaging with service users, including Motivational Interviewing, and working with the fundamentals of a trauma-informed approach. Contact us to discuss specific training needs for your team, or watch this space for forthcoming open access training events. 


Personality disorders

Develop your understanding of the concept of personality disorder, it’s assessment and diagnosis, the related myths and stigma. We will explore the difficulties experienced by individuals who have received a diagnosis of personality disorder and related characteristics, and how they may present in your interactions with your clients.  Learn about ways in which you can work positively with individuals with personality disorder related difficulties. Contact us to chat about specific needs of your service and how we can work with you. 


Offence paralleling behaviours

When working with individuals convicted of offences it is important to have an understanding of how risks may present.  In this course we will explore how this differs for each individual, and develop your understanding of the concepts of offence paralleling behaviours and pro social alternative behaviours. We will support delegates to increase their awareness of presenting risks, and confidence in communicating related concerns with clients and other agencies. This course can be tailored to your needs depending on service and experience, contact us to discuss.


Learning disability

Join us to learn about the impact of learning disabilities on individuals, and the ways these difficulties can affect their understanding and interactions. The key focus of this course is on making sense of how an individual’s offending and risk-related behaviour may be associated to their learning disability. We will explore ways to respond to manifestations of risk in this client group, and help delegates feel confident working with learning disabled offenders in each stage of their Transforming Care pathway, with a particular focus on individuals resettling into the community. As with all our courses, we can offer a tailored option for your specific service, or why not team up with other similar services for an individualised programme.


Risk of sexual harm

Working with individuals who present a risk of sexual harm can be challenging for staff teams, and can create complexity in decision-making to meet client’s needs. Join us to explore theories and risk factors relating to sexual offending, and identify ways of supporting this client group in a variety of different settings, including in the community. Develop your knowledge of identifying manifestations of risk, legal frameworks, professional responsibilities and ways to support clients with risk management. Contact us if you would like to discuss specific training for your service.


Risk of violence

In this course we will explore theories and risk factors relating to the use of violent behaviour, and consider what may be driving individuals’ use of aggression and external influences on violence.  We will help delegates feel more confident in responding to and managing violence risk, and link in to relevant agencies and frameworks. Contact us for individual options for your service, including combining this course with others that may be relevant to you.


Recent research by Bangor University identifying that more than eight out of every ten prisoners has experienced at least one type of Adverse Childhood Experiences (with almost half reporting four different categories of ACE) has added to the ever-growing evidence that forensic services need to respond to the trauma needs of the population. Trauma-informed approaches are fundamental in supporting this client group to engage fully in rehabilitation. We will help training delegates understand how traumas changes the way that people respond to perceived danger, the impact of trauma on social interactions and relationships, and ways to help your service become more trauma-informed. Contact us to discuss tailored options for your service, including a tiered training approach to include non-clinical staff.

Trauma