Forensic carers interviewed

Thirteen forensic carers who had completed the questionnaire were interviewed, providing a further opportunity for these carers to share their experiences and perspectives in more depth.  Six other people were recruited through various forensic mental health services.  Altogether 19 individual carers (15 women and four men) from different parts of Scotland were interviewed, including people living in rural Aberdeenshire, Scottish Borders, Dumfries and Galloway as well as from the central belt of Scotland.  One joint interview was undertaken that involved two carers relating to the same family member.

Most interviewees were over 50 years of age (14 interviewees), and half of these were aged between 60-76 years.  Only one young person under 20 years (sibling carer) participated in the study.  All those interviewed identified their ethnicity as white British or Scottish.  On the whole, the carers interviewed were parent carers (12 interviewees), while others were partners, husbands or wives, or brothers or sisters of the person in forensic mental health services, and one interviewee was supporting a friend.  Reflecting the predominance of men in forensic mental health services overall, it is not surprising that the majority of the people in forensic care that these carers were caring for were men (15 out of 18 individuals).  They were currently placed in high secure (5 people); medium secure (5 people); low secure (3 people); community based services (3 people); independent sector low secure (one person); and general rehabilitation wards (one person).