The sensory safe rooms changing lives in prison

Available for over a year

Stephen's got ADHD, dyslexia and learning difficulties. He also has a heroin addiction. He's currently serving time at HMP Pentonville. For 20 years, he’s been on a constant rinse and repeat cycle in and out of prison but says being on Pentonville’s neurodiverse unit is helping him change. Prison is a particularly challenging place for those with complex needs. Routines are imposed, metal doors slam, voices are raised and frustrations can boil over into violent and self-destructive behaviours. The unit's sensory room and group sessions aim to counter that. In this episode of our 5 Minutes On podcast, our health reporter Lucy Watkinson spends a few days with Stephen to understand how the unit and staff at Pentonville are helping him to break the cycle.