Time and Care: A Qualitative Exploration of Prisoners’ Perceptions of Trauma-Informed Care in Women’s Prisons

Abstract

Women’s prisons in England have been working toward providing trauma-informed and responsive care for individuals in custody due to high rates of psychological trauma within the population. This study aimed to explore how women experience trauma-informed and responsive care in prison. Interviews with 51 participants from three prisons were undertaken. Three main themes were identified using thematic analysis: time—a precious commodity; feeling cared for; and trauma-informed staff training. Participants identified barriers to staff providing trauma-informed care: scarcity of time, and staff behavior undermining the principles of trauma-informed care. Enablers included the availability of time with staff and staff showing empathy and understanding. Most participants expressed the view that staff trauma training lacked impact. These findings suggest that the goal of providing trauma-informed and responsive care may be far from being realized and that resources, prison practices and cultures should be the focus of change before staff training can be effective.