Prison-based relationship counselling: service user perceptions and implications for resettlement

Abstract

This article is based on a brief evaluation carried out on behalf of the relationship counselling service, Relate, regarding the delivery of a pilot specialist counselling service for adult male prisoners at HMP Ford, a low security 'category D' prison in the South East of England. At the heart of the research lies a focus on the perceptions of the prisoners engaging with the service during their time in custody. Data is drawn from questionnaires and semi-structured interviews exploring prisoners' experiences of receiving relationship counselling through Relate's work. Reasons for engaging in the service, perceived barriers and the perceived benefits of engaging in such a service are discussed, with attention paid to the wider implications of offering prison-based relationship counselling.