Promoting Accessibility in our Prisons Melanie Jameson Dyslexia

Promoting ‘Accessibility’ in our Prisons Melanie Jameson, Dyslexia Consultancy Malvern mj@dyslexia-malvern. co. uk www. dyslexia-malvern. co. uk Presented at the 2019 Conference of the European Prison Education Association 1

OUTLINE 1. Scope, Aims and Outcomes of this initiative 2. The Audit document 3. Vulnerabilities of our prison populations 4. Good Practice in promoting an ‘enabling’ environment SCOPE: a ‘whole organisation approach’ to enhancing ‘Accessibility’ for our prisoners 2

AIMS: use the self-assessment Audit - To identify what you’re already doing well - To spot where more effort / skill development is needed OUTCOMES - Reduce tensions and escalation of incidents - Contribute to better resettlement outcomes - Encourage promotion/sharing of Good Practice across the sector WHY is this Initiative needed? Information is often partial, and remains in ‘silos’: Various assessments and interventions are NOT routinely entered on a single database which is easy to access Good practice may not be identified, recorded or shared 3

2. COMPLETING ‘ACCESSIBILITY’ AUDIT This tool, included in your welcome packs, draws attention to a number of areas. Please complete it with colleagues to identify where you are already doing well AND where there is room for improvement. The remit goes beyond Education but excludes physical & ergonomic factors. Please complete this Audit with colleagues from different departments in your establishment This exercise will help identify what you’re already doing well & where further effort is needed Y E S N O N PART MORE INFO 1. Screening and Assessment processes (Education, Healthcare, Resettlement) highlight support needs 2. This information is readily available to all staff who need to access it 3. We have a clear referral route for further specialist assessment and know what to do 4. We record, share, monitor and update information on prisoner support needs 5. Staff are aware of good practice in Mental Health; Learning Disabilities; Dyslexia/Specific Learning Difficulties; Language and Communication issues 6. Staff have flexibility to offer differentiated learning in order to accommodate difficulties 7. Formal processes / disciplinary procedures etc. take account of support needs 8. It is easy for prisoners to find their way around our buildings 9. Notices and learning materials are written in an accessible way (and backed up by images) 10. We take care that our spoken communications are clear and unambiguous 11. Prisoners are encouraged to share their skills and develop their expertise 12. We work well with partners and senior management to improve outcomes for our prisoners 13. We encourage prisoners to articulate their needs and take account of feedback from learners 14. Our establishment allows time and opportunity to share ‘what works’ across the prison 15. Our culture supports us when we try new ways of doing things 4

‘ACCESSIBILITY’ AUDIT [continued] This exercise draws attention to the areas below DEVELOPMENT of a) Learners’ Listening & Speaking Skills b) Teaching of ‘Soft Skills’ COMMUNICATION [include: Special considerations for autistic spectrum] c) WRITTEN COMS. Study materials Notices / Forms d) SPOKEN communications Are these clear & legible? Do they minimise Visual Stress? Positive not negative Check understanding 5

‘ACCESSIBILITY’ AUDIT [continued] • Education, Healthcare, OBGs, Resettlement • Database easily accessible and regularly Staff can updated access info from: • Memory and organisational aids Targeted • Catering for limited attention span support Wayfinding • Consistent colour-coding throughout building • ‘Walk the walk’ accompany them, use landmarks • De-clutter notice boards. Notices + Images. OTHER AREAS include: Screening > assessment >support > referral processes Staff awareness of good practice and access to further guidance Liaison with partners and with senior management 6

Consistent colour-coding to assist with navigation / way-finding HMP Whatton 7

WHO COULD DO WHAT to enhance an ‘Enabling Environment’? What could Governors do? What could Prison Officers do? What could Administrative Staff do? What could Healthcare do? What could Education Department do? Is time put aside for these groups, with their different perspectives, to share information and address any gaps? Where should specific improvements be targeted? Does the prison draw on the expertise of Prisoners as mentors and to share skills? Are they actively involved in decision-making & providing feedback? Is there a Prisoner Council? Is there a role former Prisoners in ‘Through the Gate’ work? 8

3. VULNERABILITIES Many prisoners have un-addressed and hidden vulnerabilities and struggle with procedures and everyday life. How well they cope depends on several factors: (1) the severity of their difficulties; (2) inner resources e. g. intelligence, spirituality; (3) the ability to deploy coping strategies; (4) external factors; (5) stress levels. Effects of Stress q Areas of difficulty (eg dyslexic problems) are exacerbated q Coping strategies no longer operate q It becomes impossible to process information q There may be an outburst of anger or frustration q Experience of ‘overload’ – then ‘shutdown’ 9

VULNERABILITIES: Impaired Executive Function leading to…. Ø Organisational and planning problems Ø Limited working memory Ø Self-reflection and self-monitoring is poor Ø Time management and prioritising difficulties Ø Lack of flexibility in choosing strategies Ø Difficulty shifting attention when required OR following a change in the direction of the discourse Aspects of Communication Skills function poorly, namely SPEECH referring to articulation; fluency; use of pitch, volume & intonation LANGUAGE entailing speaking; structuring info; making sense of what others say COMMUNICATION including Picking up non-verbal communication; using language to suit the situation; turn-taking; considering others’ perspectives and expectations SEE Sentence Trouble (2009) www. thecommunicationtrust. org. uk 10

Visual Stress affecting people with Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Migraines & Epilepsy Example of Visual Stress makes reading very challenging. Symptoms include losing the place; headaches and sore eyes when reading; missing out and misreading words; a glare from white paper; blurring or moving of text. There are often problems reading from a screen. See further info + checklist: http: //www. dyslexia-malvern. co. uk/docs/visualstress POSSIBLE (PARTIAL) SOLUTIONS 1) Check whether reading glasses are needed or if dark glasses are beneficial. 2) Does a coloured overlay help? (These should be available from Education) 3) Dim the computer screen and help change background colour to a more ‘comfortable’ shade. 4) Ensure that written materials, digital systems etc. conform to good practice and do not trigger symptoms of Visual Stress. 11

COPING with DISCIPLINARY PROCESSES / PAROLE HEARINGS A range of difficulties arose out of ‘Neurodiverse’ focus group: § a build up of stress until we cannot function at all § coping with strangers in unfamiliar settings § following the line of questioning, retaining what has been said § problems maintaining concentration and focus § feelings of sensory overload from bright lights and sounds etc. § struggle to give accurate answers re: dates/times/places/names § difficulty providing consistent information on sequences of actions § maintaining eye contact during conversations § reading accurately in stressful situations >> all this feels like we are losing credibility What measures could make them less ‘vulnerable’? 12

AWARENESS that a range of behaviours can give rise to misleading impressions: § inconsistencies could imply ‘untruthfulness’ § failure to grasp the point of the question or missing part of a question seems to be ‘evasive’ § hesitancy can suggest you are ‘unsure about your story’ § a lack of eye contact can be misinterpreted as being ‘shifty’ § inflexibility suggests sticking to a pre-determined ‘story’ § a stress reaction can be misinterpreted as ‘aggression’ Is it a Disability issue, leading to ‘Reasonable Adjustments’? Equality Act, 2010: requirement to change Practices, Policies, Procedures Assessments may flag up areas of difficulty, leading to support measures Dissemination of Good Practice may lead to a better overall environment 13

4 a. GOOD PRACTICE in formal processes Many people would cope better with questioning IF: they are asked direct, straightforward questions they are encouraged to take their time in replying they are allowed time to make notes or sketches and refer to these they are not asked to read aloud they never have to respond immediately to new documentation allowances are made for hesitations, inconsistencies, word-finding problems and misunderstandings they have help going through their statement they are allowed to have breaks, as necessary 14

4 b. GOOD PRACTICE in Written Communications This will help to minimise Visual Stress and improve readability Justified text makes it harder for the reader to transfer to the next line accurately and introduces irregular spacing, described as ‘streams of white’ WORDS in CAPITALS disguise the shape of a word for readers using a ‘whole word recognition strategy’. ALWAYS ASCEND AND DESCEND STAIRS ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE GENERAL GUIDANCE FOR DIGITAL TEXT & WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS ü clear uncluttered text, laid out in a consistent fashion ü short sentences; main points picked out in bold (not CAPITALS) ü graphics to flag up content ü boxed summaries ü any shading should be pale and only overprinted by black text ü flow-charts to explain procedures and diagrams where appropriate ü lists of ‘Do’s and Don’ts’ are more useful than continuous text ü glossary of terms and abbreviations provided at the start of each section 15

[4 b cont’d] ACCESSIBLE WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS Adaptations to FORMS and NOTICES DO USE a clear font, at least 12 DO NOT USE small fonts (below size 12) text should be left justified with ‘ragged’ right margin justified right margin use of bold and bullet points ‘fancy’ fonts and italics diagrams, charts rather than continuous text in either red or green (also a colour-blind issue) images, icons and graphics to indicate content whole words/phrases in CAPITALS which hides the shape of word good spacing, gaps between paragraphs cramped text without spacing Can all written communications, learning and behavioural programmes etc. be adapted for people with Learning Disabilities ‘and Challenges’ [LDC]? HMPPS has produced Learning Disabilities Toolkit & Staff Guide

4 c. GOOD PRACTICE in Written Communications [cont’d] Accessibility in Testing and Form-Filling Making adjustments in TESTING processes - Ensure test paper is clear, well-spaced and that questions are un-ambiguous. - Instead of transferring the number relating to the correct answer to another sheet, can the chosen answer simply be underlined? (avoids tracking errors) - Challenge of multiple choice format, where candidate has to choose between deliberately similar options – is this a good test of knowledge? - Can s/he demonstrate knowledge orally or practically (if written skills lag behind) - (Where possible) self-checking exercises protect self-esteem. Enabling FORM-FILLING Establish purpose of form. Gain an overview. Mark optional and conditional questions , identify non-relevant items. Provide a completed form to guide the individual. Discuss any questions they are unsure how to deal with. Practise on copy, before filling in fair copy. Be aware of how stressful this activity will be for some people. 17

4 d. GOOD PRACTICE – in Spoken Communications When giving spoken instructions, break them down into logical blocks rather than giving them all at once. Reassure the individual that it’s fine to come back and check as necessary. Give positive rather than negative instructions, for instance: "Make sure you don't leave your folder in the workshop" becomes “Remember to take your folder back to your cell”. Refer to operations in order in which they should occur: "Don't turn your laptop off before saving your work” becomes Save your work, before you turn off the laptop off. Use specific questions to check that the listener has retained key information, rather than asking "Any questions? " Use a buddy system where appropriate, so peers can provide discreet support. Making a Presentation more accessible - Use graphics as well as spoken/written words - ‘Chunk’ the information. Summarise key points - Keep it relevant – choose a case study they can identify with - Invite queries as you go along, rather than at the end 18

4 e. GOOD PRACTICE – Support for Memory and Organisation Poor Memory could relate to ‘long-term’, ‘short-term’ or working memory’ Encourage association techniques and memory aids (such as verbalising) Provide checklists / reference materials / make ‘prompt cards’ Use the ability to recognise patterns, links and associations Record passwords, user names, pin numbers ‘Overlearning’, using games and role play for variety Developing Self-Organisation and Time Management skills Provide blank timetables for personalised completion Include the venue and whatever equipment is needed Get everything down in a mindmap, then prioritise Use colour-coding, and highlighting Are the sequences of days and months secure? For all these areas: Make it visual Attentional Difficulties, Impulsivity and Distractibility Build in breaks; certain individuals may need ‘time out’. Vary the pace of the session. Plan short varied (sometimes physical) activities with immediate feedback. Seat them away from distractions. Introduce a range of self-monitoring strategies. 19

Lack of support…. . “I did some computing in prison but was released before I could get very far so I decided to join an IT class. It was the most embarrassing thing in my adult life. I found it quite hard to keep up and remember what to do from one week to the next. I asked the teacher to jot down the list of the function keys but he did not give me the list I needed so I tried to keep up by scribbling everything down but he went far too fast. When I asked for help he told me it was quite obvious and logical. I could see nothing obvious or logical about which function keys to press or keeping track of when to click on the right or left side of the mouse. “By the third session, I was so lost that I asked the tutor if he would go through everything with me so that I could write down the instructions. I thought no-one would notice cos everyone else seemed to be finishing off ready to go for coffee. “But it’s so obvious, ” he said in a loud voice which caused everyone to stop and stare, “all you need is some common sense”. “I walked out of that class and have never returned to college, I felt so embarrassed. All the memories of the times I had struggled in my childhood came back. It took me days to feel more confident and I would not wish a similar experience on anyone. ” 20

4 f. GOOD PRACTICE in making Numeracy work more accessible to those who struggle Use words where possible, not numbers e. g. 4/7/19 becomes 4 th July, 2019 Times are written next to a clock image, displaying the required time. How can you change current practice re: Healthcare appointments? Break a numeracy task down into smallest components. Change a sum into a rea. I-life example. Verbalise it. Link words & symbols. Consistent colour coding to show mathematical ‘place’. 4 g. An enabling environment to support people who are mentally ill At Induction & on the Wing: provide written info on recognising the signs/seeking help. Staff Training to spot signs of mental distress and when to refer on to Healthcare and or ‘Listeners’. SIGNS INCLUDE becoming withdrawn, not eating, unexplained bursts of anger. What you can do: know what to ask and how to engage with someone in distress. Follow up / check later. Don’t abandon them when they have opened up to you. 21 /

ACCESSIBILITY and the FAMILY OF ‘SPECIFIC’ (LEARNING) DIFFICULTIES – Sp. LDs DYSPRAXIA DYSCALCULIA DYSLEXIA ADHD ASPERGER SYNDROME Sp. LDs often overlap with each other and anxiety / depression People affected make up almost 20% of prison population 22

What works for Specific Learning Difficulties (Sp. LDs) often assists other learners who have failed in the past Sp. LD GOOD PRACTICE includes the following considerations: Prisoners’ varying learning styles call for an a range of approaches: such as visual, auditory, hands-on. Some learn best through a step-by-step approach Others need to gain an overview first of all Analyse courses to identify the necessary subskills – are these ‘secure’? Should they be isolated, taught one at a time, then combined? Are the skills of learners being brought into play e. g. performance, creativity, fantasy, recognising patterns and associations? Can you ensure a taste of early success, to build up confidence? Are elements of personal choice offered, to maximise engagement? Does the programme/course need adaptations to make it fully accessible? 23

4 h. Asperger Syndrome: Aspects of GOOD PRACTICE - Provide the individual with a set of rules, explaining any exceptions. - Try and give advance notice of any changes to routine - Formal interviews are easier to manage if questions are written and submitted in advance. Answers can then be considered and written down. - Ask specific questions rather than open questions. Avoid abstract concepts, metaphor & nuances. Communications must be unambiguous. - Due to high stress levels, allow ‘time out’ to recover during sessions. - In restorative processes, take into account that showing empathy and seeing things from someone else’s point of view may not be possible. - Take steps to accommodate any hyper-sensitivity. - Ensure that all staff are aware (HOW? ). Personal space is important -------------Govt Resources on Learning Disabilities (impaired intelligence/social skills) 1 Positive Practice, Positive Outcomes (2011) www. gov. uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/216318/dh_12 4744. pdf 2 Guide: Supporting People with Learning Disability & Learning Challenges (LDC) 3 Powerpoint Toolkit: Making services work for people with LDC (both 2019) 24

MELANIE JAMESON: RESOURCES All available from www. dyslexia-malvern. co. uk/resources 1. Specific Learning Difficulties in Prisons – 8 linked booklets, namely 1. Sp. LD Overview; Support for literacy & numeracy; Foreign nationals; ICT; Accessibility, diversity and disability; Work preparation; Resources/links 2. The Good Practice Guide for Justice Professionals 3. ‘KIWIs’ information sheets on dyslexia/related conditions in justice settings They comprise: K = Key Facts I = Impact of the Sp. LD W = Ways of Working I = (Further) Information 25