Communication Support in the Justice System

Talking Mats is widely used across a variety of justice sector settings.

Practitioners, including Intermediaries, Youth Justice workers, Forensic Psychologists, Social Workers, Forensic Speech and Language Therapists, use Talking Mats to support the children, young people, and adults they work with to communicate their experiences, views and feelings.

Communication Needs in the Justice System

Communication needs are disproportionately prevalent among children, young people, and adults involved in the justice system. This may include:

Children and young people entering the youth justice system
Adults in prison
People on probation
Defendants attending court
Vulnerable witnesses
Victims requiring communication support

Communication needs can be hidden, as people may appear verbally fluent while struggling to understand questions, process information, retain instructions, or express emotions.

Many people in contact with the justice system also have additional or unmet support needs, including:

Learning disabilities
Autism
Acquired brain injury
Developmental language disorder (DLD)
ADHD
Mental health conditions
Dementia (where relevant in adult justice)
Cognitive impairment

Without the right support, individuals cannot meaningfully engage with processes that affect their lives, safety, and liberty.

Talking Mats provides a structured visual support to help understanding. This is particularly helpful in justice environments, where stress can reduce communication ability, and abstract questioning can increase cognitive load.

What Is Talking Mats and How Does It Work in Justice Settings?

A Talking Mat is a visual communication tool that supports people with communication needs in Justice settings in order to aid them in expressing their feelings and views. It is available in both physical and digital formats as a low-pressure way for people to communicate, especially for those who:

Find verbal-only communication challenging
Find abstract questioning confusing
Find formal interview-style interactions intimidating

Talking Mats can:

Open up conversations about difficult/abstract topics.
Provide a structure to help understanding, reflection and expression.
Support the person to be involved in their own goal/target setting by finding out what is important to them and what they would like to focus on.
Enable comparison of people’s views – this can be particularly useful when assessing risk.
Support conversations about potential harm/ safeguarding.

Given the high incidence of communication difficulties in children, young people, and adults who are part of the Justice system, it is important for practitioners to think about, and adapt, their communication style and practice when working with people who have communication support needs. Use of the Talking Mats approach can help explore issues/topics and support individuals with communication needs to communicate their feelings, views and experiences.

Who Uses Talking Mats in Justice Settings?

Intermediaries

Intermediaries can use Talking Mats to support communication before legal proceedings. This helps individuals understand what to expect and express any questions, concerns, or preferences. It can also be used in interview preparation and court appearances.

Youth Justice Workers and Youth Offending Teams

Youth justice practitioners often use Talking Mats to talk to children and young people about their experiences, challenges, and goals.

Forensic Speech and Language Therapists

Forensic speech and language therapists use Talking Mats to support communication assessments. It enables therapists to gather information and support participation.

Forensic Psychologists and Psychiatrists

Psychologists and psychiatrists in forensic settings can use Talking Mats to support therapeutic conversations, explore emotional wellbeing, and understand the individual’s experiences.

Social Workers and Probation Officers

Talking Mats is used among social workers and probation officers during meetings, safeguarding discussions, and care planning conversations to help identify what is important to them.

Safeguarders and Advocacy Workers

In Scotland, Safeguarders are appointed by the Children’s Hearing System or Sherrif to ensure the child’s voice is heard in complex cases.

Advocacy workers use Talking Mats to fully understand an individual’s views, allowing them to speak on their behalf.

Prison and Secure Setting Staff

Professionals working in prison or secure settings may use Talking Mats to have conversations about health and wellbeing, and for everyday communication.

How Talking Mats Is Used Across Justice Contexts

Talking Mats can be used throughout the justice system to support a range of conversations and communications. It is a tool that supports more accessible, person-led conversations that enable people in the justice system to understand information, express views, and contribute to decisions that affect them.

Pre-court preparation and legal proceedings – Talking Mats helps individuals understand what will happen, express worries or questions, and support feelings.
Risk assessment and goal setting – Talking Mats provides a structured way to explore experiences, priorities, and support needs.
Safeguarding and disclosure conversations – Talking Mats allows sensitive topics to be discussed in a low-pressure, supportive way.
Rehabilitation and resettlement planning – Talking Mats can be used to explore goals, support needs, and future priorities such as housing, employment, education, etc.
Work with children and young people in youth justice – children and young people may have additional communication needs; Talking Mats provides age-appropriate structured conversations to help them express views and experiences.

Why Choose Talking Mats as a Communication Tool in Justice Settings?

Developed and Tested Through Rigorous Research

Developed at the University of Stirling, Talking Mats has a published evidence base across health, social care and justice contexts. It was created through formal evaluation and research, and practitioners in justice settings use it to help children, young people and adults communicate more confidently.

Ready-Made Resources for Justice Conversations

We have several existing sets that are directly applicable to justice settings, including Health and Wellbeing, Consulting Children and Young People, Keeping Safe, Youth Justice and Sexual Health and Relationships.

Training for Justice-Sector Practitioners

Our Foundation Training is available for all justice-sector practitioners, not just communication specialists. Any practitioner who completes the training will be able to use Talking Mats confidently in their everyday work, whether that’s an assessment conversation, a pre-court preparation session, or a goal-setting meeting. Training is available both online and in person, and is also available for teams.

Learn how to use our innovative and award-winning approach to communication support with our training courses now.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can intermediaries use Talking Mats in court or pre-court settings?

Yes. Trained intermediaries can use Talking Mats as part of pre-court preparation and other communication support activities where it is appropriate for the individual’s needs.

Is Talking Mats suitable for people with learning disabilities in the justice system?

Talking Mats is widely used to support people with learning disabilities and others who experience communication difficulties. The visual, structured approach can make conversations more accessible by reducing reliance on verbal communication alone.

What training do justice-sector practitioners need to use Talking Mats?

Justice-sector professionals should complete Talking Mats Foundation Training before using the framework independently.

It provides the knowledge and practical skills needed to facilitate structured conversations confidently and use the framework appropriately within everyday practice.

Can Talking Mats be used in prisons or secure settings?

Yes. Talking Mats can be used in prisons, secure children’s homes, young offender institutions and other secure environments to support communication during healthcare appointments, rehabilitation planning, wellbeing reviews, safeguarding discussions and resettlement planning.

Talking Mats Resources which could support your conversations:

Youth Justice

We are also in the process of developing a Talking Mats Youth Justice Resource set as part of an NHS England funded Greater Manchester Youth Justice Services project. We hope to launch this resource in late 2021.

We recommend that professionals using our resources complete the Talking Mats Foundation course. Find out how to access our Talking Mats Foundation course here.