Reflections on introducing a carers’ forum in an intellectual disability secure service

Purpose: This paper reports on the development and introduction of a Carers’ Forum in an Intellectual Disability (ID) Secure Service. The current Forum was established as a supportive and interactive space for carer’ and relatives of current inpatient service users with specific recognition of the key role carers can play in the rehabilitation of service users with forensic histories. This article provides an overview of the process of establishing the Forum, brief evaluative data and reflects on the experience and learning points from developing such a resource in Secure contexts. Design/methodology/approach: The Carers’ Forum has been established and delivered over a 12-month period as a once monthly, one-hour, online session for anyone identifying as a Carer of a current inpatient service user in the Secure Service. Findings: Overwhelmingly Carers reported that they experienced the Forum as positive and beneficial. Personal reflections of the authors are offered on some of the impacts of such spaces for carers and some of the organisational and contextual challenges of establishing these Forums in Secure Services.