Positive steps for Henry

Henry* is a very sociable and personable individual who enjoys spending his time volunteering at a charity shop, shopping and going swimming with his support. But his ability to understand his sexuality has been complicated due to his own past traumatic experiences. He’s been supported using Dimensions’ Forensic approach since 2015.

Background

When we first met Henry, he was living at a Step Down placement where he had been since 2008.

He was cautioned for sexual assault in 2000 and placed on the sex offenders register as a schedule 1 offender. Further allegations were made of sexual assault in 2003 and he re-offended.

Henry was sentenced and given an interim section 38 hospital order under the 1983 Mental Health Act and was admitted to a private medium secure hospital. In 2005 this was converted to section 37 of the Mental Health Act 1983.

Henry has engaged in Sex Offender Treatment Programme and therapeutic support in relation to his own abusive experiences as well as therapy to understand and express emotions.

Outcomes

Henry is being supported to manage his emotions alongside his perception of feeling bullied or judged. He’s developed assertiveness skills to enable him to say no, recognise the reasons why this is appropriate and that it is valid to do so.

Henry has explored his thoughts and feelings with new environments and settings to enable him to increase the activities that he accesses. He’s also worked hard to put together his self-risk management plan for unsupported time at the local shop.

Henry has engaged in sessions with his Clinical Practitioner to explore what caused anxiety in being unsupported and is now building confidence in himself. This has enabled him to want to continue to further his unsupported time in the New Year.

Reduction of support levels will occur in conjunction with Henry’s ability to self-risk manage and further unsupported time in agreement with the wider Multidisciplinary team around him.

Value for money

At the time Dimensions started working with Henry using our Forensic approach, his package of support included a waking night and was at an annual cost of £96k.

This has reduced to £87k per annum and will continue to fall as his ability to self-manage risk increases.

*names have been changed to protect anonymity. Photo for illustrative purposes only.

Find out more about rehabilitation