Prisoner Screening & Assessment Tools and Associated Services

This Tool covers: English, Mathematics, and Digital Skills.

The English and Mathematics element of the Tool would accurately assess Prisoner's current skills and ability under the following outcomes:

• Pre-entry level
• Entry level 1
• Entry level 2
• Entry level 3
• Level 1
• Level 2 or higher

And the Digital Skills element of the Tool would accurately assess Prisoners' current skills and abilities in line with National Standards and provide an assessment of the Prisoner's everyday digital literacy skills and functional digital skills

This Tool covers: Reading.

The tool will accurately identify gaps in a Prisoners' reading ability, covering comprehension, reading fluency and phonological awareness and would indicate a reading level/score and level of reading support required to progress their ability to read.

Reading assessments would include digital elements but must include interaction with and assessment outcomes determined by prison delivery staff.

This Tool covers: Additional Learning Needs.

The ALN Tool must identify areas of potential ALN including:

• Communication and Interaction needs;
• Cognition and Learning needs;
• Social, Emotional and Mental Health difficulties; and
• Physical and/or Sensory Needs

The Tool will also:

• identify strengths, contributing to the process of making reasonable adjustments.
• Produce results that can inform and support processes of ALN support planning within a whole Prison approach including Prison inductions, Education, and the wider Prison regime.
• Have been designed as an ALN Indicator Tool and not as a diagnostic tool (a diagnostic tool is designed to be administered and interpreted by suitably qualified psychology, learning disability, nursing or specialist education staff in order to reach a clear professional diagnosis).
• Have been designed and developed with psychological and specialist educational input to ensure it covers a wide range of neurodivergent and other additional need(s).

*Have been previously tested within a relevant further education and/or custodial environment comparable to the UK Prison system and be supported by research/reports which clearly demonstrate its validity and capability to deliver in a consistent and equitable manner. Contractors are expected to engage with the Authority in any additional validity testing requested.

*Lead to the production of clear and detailed results and reports which:

*Can be understood by the Prisoner, Prison Staff and HMPPS staff.

*Clarify what the indicators of ALN are for the individual, including any areas of strength as well as areas of need.

*Clearly identify what practical strategies and reasonable adjustments can be put in place to support the individual both within education and more widely within the Prison regime and in community healthcare.

It is desirable for the tool to suggest where further specialist assessment may be needed, and indicate where further diagnostic assessment may be needed, by suitably qualified psychology, learning disability, nursing or specialist education staff.

The tool results are accessible to all staff who work with Prisoners across all departments within the Prison. The results must be available digitally, live, to the Authority and selected third parties.