Charles Michael Kelly 1967-2023

Charlie Kelly, Head of Psychology HMYOI Polmont, Scottish Prison Service, Chartered Member of the British Psychological Society and Division of Forensic Psychology, tragically passed away in September 2023 whilst hillwalking in the highlands of Scotland. 

This short obituary attempts to capture Charlie's quirky and engaging personality as well as his dedication to helping others and bringing joy through his approach to life. 

Charlie graduated from the University of Stirling and began his career as a forensic psychologist in HMPPS, as an assistant psychologist in HMP Feltham, a young offenders institute, in 1989, before moving to HMP Gartree as a trainee in 1991. 

Charlie then moved to the SPS, where he worked in several establishments but was perhaps best known for his work in HMYOI and HMP Polmont with young offenders and female offenders. Charlie enjoyed his work with these populations and always took a compassionate view of the people in custody. Most recently he was part of a research group that had a paper published that highlighted the extent of mental health problems faced by young people in custody, and the lack of subsequent assessment to identify these issues. Reactive attachment disorder, disinhibited social engagement disorder, adverse childhood experiences, and mental health in an imprisoned young offender population - ScienceDirect. This type of work epitomises Charlie's desire to make a positive difference to the people he worked with. 

This ethos translated to his support and guidance to the forensic trainees that he supervised. Charlie supervised trainees from all over the UK towards successfully gaining their qualifications and was a founding member of the Cardiff Met  qualification. Although he was humble about the impact that he made on others, he relished their achievements; he was even known to have a wee dance in celebration of his trainees' successes. 

In addition to his applied work, Charlie was also influential in progressing the visibility and practice of forensic psychologists across Scotland and the UK. Charlie was instrumental in the establishment of the Scottish Branch of the Division of Forensic Psychology and was its first chair. The impact this had on the growth and development of Forensic Psychology in Scotland cannot be underestimated. In addition, he was also part of the DFP Executive committee covering forensic psychology across all four nations and he was engaged in strategic development to drive forward the quality of our practice and the standards associated with training. 

Beyond his job, Charlie was a loving and supportive father and partner. As with his trainees, Charlie beamed with pride and admiration when he spoke about his children and partner. Charlie was a kind man, thoughtful, approachable, patient, authentic, and supportive. Charlie will be a huge loss not just to the field of Forensic Psychology, but to all who knew him. He will be sorely missed.

A memorial event will be held at the SPS College, Falkirk on Tuesday 17 September 10.00-12.30 and all those who wish to remember Charlie are openly welcomed.