This strategy offers a co-ordinated joint approach by both the National Health Service and the NOMS to the co-commissioning and development of pathway services.

This article explores the development of an offender personality disorder strategy for the Department of Health (DH) and National Offender Management Service (NOMS). The strategy has two strands: offenders who present a high risk of serious harm to others, and workforce development. This article primarily considers the first of these. The strategy builds upon the learning so far from the Dangerous and Severe Personality Disorder (DSPD) programme and democratic therapeutic communities in prisons. This indicates the need for NOMS and the NHS to take joint responsibility for the assessment, treatment and management of this population and to deliver services, where appropriate, through joint operations. A greater focus is required on the early identification of personality disordered offenders who present a high risk of serious harm to others, leading to an active pathway of intervention predominately based in the criminal justice system (CJS).

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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to collaborate across disciplines to agree a better map of human development. Design/methodology/approach This paper used an iterative process of consultation with professionals and specialists in relevant disciplines, and service users, continually refining the diagram and text until a “good enough” consensus was reached to produce a diagrammatic form and explanatory text. Findings The process revealed a strong commitment across many disciplines to find a common contextual framework within which specialist understandings could be accommodated. The consultation process and iterative development of the diagram and text was marked by widespread interest and many detailed discussions. The substance of this paper is the result of that process. Research limitations/implications The model places research in different specialist fields onto a single “map of the territory”. It can encourage collaboration across disciplines when they are studying similar areas from different perspectives. It indicates the value of collaborative rather than competitive research enterprises. Practical implications Too often, professionals involved in fields concerning human development become focussed within narrow frameworks of specialisation. The model supports better understanding of how different elements relating to developmental life interrelate. This can facilitate the basis upon which a wide range of training, education and research programmes can be formulated. Social implications The model proposes greater use of a “whole-person/whole-life” perspective, which should allow greater integration between disparate approaches, and less experience of fragmentation. For a wide range of public sector activities, the quality of relational activity should be central to effective organisational and human outcomes. Without a unifying context, the understanding required to support relational work is weak: this model ad-dresses that deficit. Originality/value This work is entirely original. It should be of value to all those interested in working in holistic ways; to policy makers wishing to avoid duplication, waste and ineffective interventions; and to researchers interested in working across disciplinary boundaries. Most importantly, it is for staff involved in health, justice, social care and education services at all levels. Their effectiveness relies on relational, as well as procedural working, and this model will support confidence in the primacy of these activities.

Purpose Major developments in the management of and intervention for people with significant personality difficulties who have offended are continuing, most recently with the implementation of the Offender Personality Disorder (Department of Health/National Offender Management Service (DoH/NOMS), 2011) Pathway. Included in this, is the Psychologically Informed Planned Environment model, currently being implemented in Prisons and Probation Approved Premises. This model includes the provision of “socially creative activities” (Benefield et al., 2018), opportunities for social learning and relationship building. The purpose of this paper is to explore the rationale for and examples of the implementation of these. Design/methodology/approach The paper offers a narrative review of research around child development, personality, social learning and the policy context around the OPD Pathway. An overview of the socially creative sessions and a rationale for them is provided. Findings A conceptual understanding of the rationale for socially creative sessions is provided with a description of the sessions that focussed upon development of imagination, narrative/story making, social expression and relational experiences, i.e. singing, drama and reading with others. It is argued that the activities offered opportunities to engage in a different medium for expression, learning and relating, that may provide a catalyst for change in individuals with entrenched motivational and interpersonal difficulties. Research limitations/implications This is a conceptual paper that provides a rationale for socially creative sessions and describes the sessions. This paper does not feature outcome data which are outside the remit of this paper; however, future research into the impact of this approach to aid relational development and assist in emotional and behavioural stability is essential. Practical implications The complex needs of this client group emphasise the need for services to offer holistic ways to engage people who can have a positive impact upon relationships. Originality/value The work presented in this paper is valuable for professionals working within the personality disorder and criminal justice field, also for policy makers and commissioners.