Trauma-Informed Care in Women’s Prisons in England – From Research to Practice

WICC2025 Presentation by Dr Jude Kelman PhD and Carlene Dixon (WICC2025-PID067)

Authors

Dr Jude Kelman

Women's Group Lead Psychologist, His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS), UK

Dr Kelman has worked as a forensic psychologist within His Majesty's Prison & Probation Service (HMPPS) for 30 years. For the past nine years Dr Kelman has been the Lead Psychologist for the Women's Group, and has formed and grown - and now leads - a team of approximately 75 forensic psychologists working across the 12 women's prisons within HMPPS in England and Wales, UK - the Women's Estate Psychology Service (WEPS). During this time she has undertaken a part-time PhD at King's College London, examining trauma-informed care within women's prisons, and has published the findings from her research. Dr Kelman is passionate about improving outcomes for women in contact with the Criminal Justice System, and works hard to influence changes to policies and practices within the organisation, in order to support women to receive the most effective support and services whilst they are in prison, as well as whilst they transition into the community after release.

Carlene Dixon

Women's Group Prison Group Director, His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS), UK

Carlene Dixon joined the Prison Service in 1998 following university and worked for a number of years in the male prison estate in a variety of operational management roles, mainly across London prisons, as well as time in Private Office. She was Governor of HMP Send, a women’s prison, for over five years and most recently led the central HMPPS Women’s Operational Policy and Strategy team, working across community and custody, before taking up her current post as Prison Group Director (PGD) for Women's Group within His Majesty's Prison & Probation Service (HMPPS) for England and Wales, UK. As PGD, Carlene oversees operational delivery of the ten public sector prisons for women within HMPPS in England and Wales, UK.

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