Complex Responses review launches with expert seminar

Today sees the publication of “Complex Responses: Understanding poor frontline responses to adults with multiple needs: a review of the literature and analysis of contributing factors”. This literature review, produced by Senior Development and Research Officer Sarah Anderson, explores why adults with multiple needs, especially those in contact with the criminal justice system, often have bad experiences when dealing with organisations that are supposed to help them.

The initiative for undertaking this review came from discussions with Revolving Doors’ National Service User Forum. Frequently they reported receiving poor responses to their needs from a wide range of frontline services and there was a concern that positive policy did not always filter down into positive practice on the ground. This review not only looks at these negative experiences, but also at what contributes to this poor service response, considering interpersonal, professional, organisational and structural factors.

The review was undertaken with the hope that through a better understanding of the factors that contribute to this poor service response, those involved in relevant policy-making and the commissioning, design and delivery of services will be able to improve standards of care for a vulnerable group of the population.

This afternoon Sarah, along with Dr Michelle Cornes, Research Fellow at King’s College London, will be hosting an expert seminar. They will be discussing the Revolving Doors’ report as well as Dr Cornes’ report “Rethinking Multiple Exclusion Homelessness: Implications for Workforce Development and Interprofessional Practice”, both of which cut across health, housing, social care and criminal justice areas.