Abstract
This study examines the learning opportunities available in the secure mental health system for women who have an index offence of arson and for women where fire setting has been significant in their mental health histories. The study questions the extent to which education and learning contribute towards their successful rehabilitation. A critique of the wider treatment options is undertaken, particularly of the Arson Treatment Group, learning and leisure activities and the accommodation for the women, to gain an accurate picture of their daily lives. The research project gained multi-site approval from the Essex NHS Ethics Committee, as well as approval from the ethics committees of the Nottinghamshire Mental Health Trust, Rampton Hospital, Partnerships in Care and the Universities of Surrey and Portsmouth. The study was designed and conducted over a period of approximately four years. Evidence was gathered from ten women, some living in Rampton Hospital and others accommodated in the Partnerships in Care medium and low secure mental health settings for women in the Mansfield and Newark areas. A cohort of seventeen multi-disciplinary professional workers involved in their care and treatment also participated. The examination includes evidence from recent studies, NHS policies, Commissions and Enquiries, all of which were concerned about the lack of opportunities to learn and also point to a lack of appropriate leisure activities (The Reed Commission, 1993; The Tilt Inquiry, 2002; Women's Mental Health: Into the Mainstream, 2002). Examples of good practice were also identified. The main argument of this study is that learning literacy and skills leading to the development of self esteem and confidence need to be a key feature in a rehabilitation programme for women who set fires. The findings of this study are that there still remain insufficient opportunities for these to be acquired. It appears to remain the case that the longer a woman is contained in secure facilities the less she is likely to be able to live independently in the future. The study concludes that appropriate learning opportunities are essential to the rehabilitation and well-being of the women, particularly when embedded in other leisure or therapeutic activities. Maureen Sears December 2007.