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Are you a family member? Do you need to talk to someone?

Please call our First Stop Advice Line 01273 499843 for information about local support. Fridays from 10-4

At other times call the Prisoners' Friends and Families Service Helpline 0808 808 3444 or the Offenders' Families Helpline 0808 808 2003

WHAT PEOPLE SAY ABOUT US

"We are usually isolated and helpless in such matters so I want to thank you and SPF for your kind help."

"Thank you for the wonderful work you have done, your service is fabulous, I'll be passing your information on to other people who may need your help."

"Thank you very much, I didn't know anything about what would happen to Dan when he arrived in prison, you have really helped to explain it all and reassure me"

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Sussex Prisoners' Families - Giving Prisoners' Children & Families A Voice

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Are you a family member? Do you need to talk to someone? Please call our First Stop Advice Line 01273 499843 for information about local support. Fridays from 10-4 At other times call the Prisoners' Friends and Families Service Helpline 0808 808 3444 or the Offenders' Families Helpline 0808 808 2003 "We are usually isolated and helpless in such matters so I want to thank you and SPF for your kind help."

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Finding out which prison a prisoner is in.

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Use the Prisoner Location Service to find people in prison when you do not know which prison they are in - contact details, what you need to include

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NICCO (formerly i-hop). Search for Services, Resources or Research to inform practice with children and families of offenders.

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In 2018, Barnardo's NICCO (National Information Centre for Children of Offenders) was funded by Forces in Mind Trust to conduct a needs assessment of veterans in custody, their families and children.

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National Information Centre on Children of Offenders

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National Information Centre on Children of Offenders

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Lots of useful resources and toolkits for children, young people and families.

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Pact Packets are a brand new collection of downloadable, printable resources to support children, families and prisoners throughout the Coronavirus crisis.

Each of the resources below can be downloaded and printed at home in black and white, so you can pick and choose which activities you'd like to make up your own Pact Packet. There are puzzles and brain-teasers, drawing and writing challenges and - bonus - we've also created dedicated Pact Packets containing 21-day challenges for children and teenagers to complete, along with some activity booklets suitable for all ages.

We'll be adding to these resources over the coming weeks and months and sharing best practice and ideas from other organisations - so bookmark this page and do keep checking back.

We've also put together some resources to help Pact staff - and other key workers - to support prisoners throughout this difficult time. For more information on the Pact Packets for prisoners, please get in touch with us.

While prison visits are suspended, you can find the contact details for our individual family support teams, and the most up-to-date information we have, in our digital visitors' guides for each prison.

Pact Packets

Create-your-own Pact Packet resources

Brain-teasers booklet. All of our brain-teasers collected into one handy booklet, suitable for older children and adults.

Daily Writing Challenge (Days 11-20).The second installment of the Daily Writing Challenge.

Origami booklet. A 12-page booklet containing detailed instructions (and pictures) of how to create a variety of origami (paper-folding) creations, for all ability levels.

Sports quiz. A general knowledge quiz including rounds on football and a 'Who am I?' picture round.

Stretching booklet. A run through of some simple stretches that you can do at any time, anywhere.

Thinking of you. This is a sheet for children to complete about a loved one, with lots of questions to answer about that person.

What can we see through the window? This is a game that parents/carers can play with their children to support their reading and writing.

Other resources

We're also collating useful resources from other organisations to share here. If you've seen anything that would be helpful for us to share more widely, please let us know.

COVID-19 and Parenting. A resource from Parenting for Lifelong Health to support parents during the pandemic.

The Children's Commissioner for England has produced children's guide to Coronavirus to help explain the situation. It aims to answer children's questions, tell them how to stay safe and protect other people, and help them make the best of their time at home.

mywellread.com is a free website with great stories and conversations for 8 - 11 year olds to help parents look after their emotional and mental wellbeing.

The has trained online counsellors available 24-hours a day or via an online form. You can also call 0808 800 5000 if you are worried about a child.

Find out more

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Pact Packets are a brand new collection of downloadable, printable resources to support children, families and prisoners throughout the Coronavirus crisis. Each of the resources below can be downloaded and printed at home in black and white, so you can pick and choose which activities you'd like to make up your own Pact Packet.

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Pact supports prisoners, people with convictions, and their families across England and Wales.

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Action for Prisoners' and Offenders' Families, part of Family Lives

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Sesame Street, Little Children Big Challenges

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Sesame Street, Little Children Big Challenges

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Sesame Street: Little Children, Big Challenges: Incarceration -- Sizzle Reel

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Sesame street, Little Children, Big Challenges: Incarceration

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Sesame street, Little Children, Big Challenges: Incarceration

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It's No Holiday - young people's experience of having a family member sent to prison is an awareness raising and training resource which can be used with a range of audiences. Guidelines for professionals are available so that agencies can take action to improve their responses to young people affected by imprisonment.

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All videos are available on our Vimeo account

Child Diary

The experience of having a mother, father, brother, sister, other family relative or even a friend go to prison can be incredibly traumatic for a child. Families Outside works with children and families affected by imprisonment across Scotland and have done so for the last 25 years. With our own awareness of the difficulties these often marginalised children face, Families Outside has created a publication aimed at addressing the very real difficulties experienced by young children in such distressing circumstances.

Ollie's Story

Listen to the real life story of Ollie, a boy whose home was raided by police when his dad was arrested.

KIN Project - First Words

The video, First Words, see young people talking about their personal experiences of having a family member in prison in Scotland.

The Voices of Children Affected by Imprisonment

The COPE (Children Of Prisoners Europe) Annual Conference 2014 was hosted in Scotland by COPE member, Families Outside. During the conference audio/video clips were played highlighting the plight of children affected by imprisonment throughout the world. This video will allow you to now hear their powerful voices.

It's Time To Act

Within the Council of Europe countries, an estimated 2.1 million children have a parent in prison: equivalent to the population of a small country. These 2.1 million children often suffer at all stages of the criminal justice process, from the initial arrest to resettlement.

It's No Holiday

It's No Holiday explores young people's experiences of having a family member sent to prison. The film is an awareness raising and training resource which can be used with a range of audiences, form social work to school teachers, from police to lawyers. We hope that the film will encourage agencies to take action and, where necessary, improve their response to young people affected by imprisonment.

A postcard for the film is also available. Please contact us for copies of this.

It's No Holiday (subtitled)

Reversible thinking

Our Reversible Thinking video challenges perceptions about young people's life chances when they have a relative in prison.

Families and The Media

One of our Regional Family Support Coordinator's talks to a family member about her experience with the media and the impact this had on the lives of herself and her family.

"The media...don't care about the affect it has on you, the person who's actually in trouble and their family. They get the worst affects of the media because they just want to make a story they don't care about the actual truth."

Children of prisoners

Children with a family member in prison have rights too.

27,000 Voices

Approximately 27,000 children are separated from an imprisoned parent each year in Scotland. This means that about twice as many children each year experience a parent's imprisonment than a parent's divorce.

800,000 Voices

Giving a voice to children of prisoners, produced by Children of Prisoners Europe following the production of Families Outside's 27,000 Voices.

Rebalancing the Scales

COPE has produced an awareness-raising video aimed specifically at lawyers and the judiciary to help increase the visibility of child rights when parents are sent to prison.

25 Years of Families Outside

Families Outside is the only national charity in Scotland that works solely to support the families of people affected by imprisonment. In 2016 we celebrated 25 years of providing this vital service. Listen to a few of the voices of those who have worked with and been supported by Families Outside over the last two and a half decades.
< Back to Families' Stories

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Watch videos about families affected by imprisonment | Families Outside

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All videos are available on our Vimeo account The experience of having a mother, father, brother, sister, other family relative or even a friend go to prison can be incredibly traumatic for a child. Families Outside works with children and families affected by imprisonment across Scotland and have done so for the last 25 years.

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https://www.gov.uk/help-with-prison-visits

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The Hardman Directory. Post release support for prisoners

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The Hardman Directory. Post release support for prisoners

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Role of Schools supporting prisoners' children

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Role of Schools supporting prisoners' children

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COPES  The role of schools in supporting ... 2017.pdf

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Supporting children and families of Foreign National Prisoners

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Supporting children and families of Foreign National Prisoners

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Working with prisoners' children, Barnados

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Working with prisoners' children, Barnados

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Are you a family member? Do you need to talk to someone?

Please call our First Stop Advice Line 01273 499843 for information about local support. Fridays from 10-4

At other times call the Prisoners' Friends and Families Service Helpline 0808 808 3444 or the Offenders' Families Helpline 0808 808 2003

WHAT PEOPLE SAY ABOUT US

"We are usually isolated and helpless in such matters so I want to thank you and SPF for your kind help."

"Thank you for the wonderful work you have done, your service is fabulous, I'll be passing your information on to other people who may need your help."

"Thank you very much, I didn't know anything about what would happen to Dan when he arrived in prison, you have really helped to explain it all and reassure me"

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Sussex Prisoners' Families - Giving Prisoners' Children & Families A Voice

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Are you a family member? Do you need to talk to someone? Please call our First Stop Advice Line 01273 499843 for information about local support. Fridays from 10-4 At other times call the Prisoners' Friends and Families Service Helpline 0808 808 3444 or the Offenders' Families Helpline 0808 808 2003 "We are usually isolated and helpless in such matters so I want to thank you and SPF for your kind help."

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Ormiston offer support in some prisons in Suffolk and Norfolk and their Breaking Barrier is a community support service for prisoners' families.

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Our Breaking Barriers community outreach workers provide one-to-one support for children and young people (aged 5-16) affected by familial imprisonment.

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Barnado's support for prisoners' families Isle of Wight.

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Barnado's support for prisoners' families Isle of Wight.

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Barnardo’s Community Support for Offenders Families (CSOF) on the Isle of Wight  Telephone: 01983 520006  Email: claire.cutler@barnardos.org.uk  Website: www.barnardos.org.uk

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You can make an online request to visit someone in prison in most cases.

For the prisons you can't request a visit online you must contact the prison to find out about:

their facilities, for example to check accessibility if you're disabled

what happens on the day

Prisons have different rules on things like when and how often you can visit - and the number of visitors allowed at the same time.

You can only visit a prisoner if they've added you to their visitor list. The prison will contact you once you're on this list.

Get help with the cost of visiting someone

You might be able to get help paying for a prison visit, for example travel costs, if you're receiving certain benefits.

How often you can visit someone in prison

A convicted prisoner is allowed at least two 1-hour visits every 4 weeks.

A prisoner on remand (waiting for their trial) is allowed three 1-hour visits a week.

If you live a long way from the prison, you may be able to make longer visits, but less often.

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Staying in touch with someone in prison: Visiting someone in prison

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You can make an online request to visit someone in prison in most cases. For the prisons you can't request a visit online you must contact the prison to find out about: their facilities, for example to check accessibility if you're disabled what happens on the day Prisons have different rules on things like when and how often you can visit - and the number of visitors allowed at the same time.

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You can either arrange directly with the prison, or during the visit book your next visit with the visits team (this will save time). Or go directly through the MOJ website.

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You can either arrange directly with the prison, or during the visit book your next visit with the visits team (this will save time). Or go directly through the MOJ website.

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Make a request for a social visit someone in a prison in England and Wales

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Offer telephone listening and counselling nationwide, group gatherings (by invitation), and endeavour to provide individual face to face support. Useful for families with sex offenders.

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Affect - Supporting Families and Friends of Prisoners

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AFFECT (Action For Families Enduring Criminal Trauma) are a group of people who currently have, or have had, a family member in prison. Founded in 2001 we aim to help others like us by offering confidential and non-judgemental support, regardless of length of sentence or type of offence.

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PrisonChatUK - Supporting those with a loved one inside

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Cafcass represents children in family court cases in England.

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Cafcass advises the family courts about the welfare of children and what is in their best interests

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Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service

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Mental Health and Learning Disabilities Support services

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Mental Health and Learning Disabilities Support services

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Mental Health and Learning Disabilities Support.docx

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What's it like when your mum or dad go to jail? Adele Roberts finds out.

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Child friendly criminal justice systems

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Assisting early years professionals to support children of offenders

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Trauma Informed approaches to working with prisoners families in the USA

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Trauma Informed approaches to working with prisoners families in the USA

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TED talk on Adverse Childhood Experiences

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How childhood trauma affects health across a lifetime | Nadine Burke Harris | TED

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Great resources for understanding and working with trauma

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Beacon House is a team of professional, warm and highly experienced chartered psychologists, psychiatrists, psychotherapists and occupational therapists. We provide a wide range of mental health assessments and effective therapies for children and young people, families and adults who are experiencing mental health difficulties, emotional and behavioural problems and relationship conflict.

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Navigating the Criminal Justice System.pdf

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Rt Hon Alun Michael, Police and Crime Commissioner for South Wales Police, said: "This report is yet another clear signal to every profession and every public body that it is vital to tackle the root causes of harm and adversity instead of struggling to pick up pieces when it is far too late.

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A snapshot of the system an individual has to navigate before they are sentenced

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Navigating the Criminal Justice System.pdf

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Visiting somebody in prison is not particularly easy to organise when there are so many varying rules and individual requirements for each establishment. For families and friends visiting prisoners it will already be a stressful and emotional time and avoiding the many pitfalls can help.

There are general rules that apply to visiting most prisons but there are also many local variations and peculiarities. The aim of this service is to provide the details needed to make any visit go as smoothly as possible.

To obtain the specific details about the prison you intend visiting select an establishment from one of the drop down lists below.

Select Prison Name:

Or select a Category:

We are NOT part of the Prison Service.
You cannot contact a prison directly, contact a prisoner, or book visits through our website or comments.

You don't need a Visiting Order ( VO) to book a visit on-line.

But you will need:

the prisoner's prison number

their date of birth

the dates of birth for all visitors going with you

to make sure the person you're visiting has added you to their visitor list

To book your visits on-line go to: https://www.gov.uk/prison-visits

Please Note: If you do not know the prisoner's prison number you should write to them and ask, or ask when they phone you.

PERSONAL IDENTIFICATION FOR VISITS:
When you visit a prisoner all visitors will need to have personal identification. Ideally this will be a passport of photo-driving licence.
If you do not have these you can download a list of acceptable alternatives.
Some prisons only require ID on your first visit

HELP WITH THE COST OF VISITING
If you have limited financial means you may be able to get help with the cost of visiting from the Assisted Prison Visits Unit

TRAVEL AND ACCOMMODATION:
To help you plan your journey by road or public transport we included detailed travel information for each prison.

If your journey is likely to involve an overnight stay in the local area or the use of local bus or taxi service, you will find useful information about the services available in the area by scrolling down to the bottom of the prison information. We do not, however, offer any recommendation or endorsement of listed services.

Making all the necessary arrangements before setting off on the journey can help avoid complications and reduce the overall costs.

Some useful websites:
Network Rail - Train journey planner
Traveline - Nationwide bus timetables
Tripadviser - Check out Hotels and Bed & Breakfast accommodation
YourTaximeter - Find taxis and fares anywhere in UK

FEEDBACK
If you visit a prison and have any suggestions or tips for other people visiting that prison you can leave these using the 'Comment' box at the bottom of each prison's listing.

Information is constantly changing and we do all we can to keep information up-to-date. If you do find any information which is incorrect or unclear please email [email protected] . This is especially important for visiting times and transport information.

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Visiting a prisoner | insidetime & insideinformation

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Visiting somebody in prison is not particularly easy to organise when there are so many varying rules and individual requirements for each establishment. For families and friends visiting prisoners it will already be a stressful and emotional time and avoiding the many pitfalls can help.

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Voices of Children

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The Voices of Children Affected by Imprisonment

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The COPE (Children Of Prisoners Europe) Annual Conference 2014 was hosted in Scotland by COPE member, Families Outside.  During the conference audio/video clips were played highlighting the plight of children affected by imprisonment throughout the world.  This video will allow you to now hear their powerful voices.

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Reducing the instances of sexual abuse and assisting those impacted by sexual abuse in their recovery.

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At Circles South East our core aims are twofold. Firstly we aim to reduce the instances of sexual abuse. Secondly we aim to assist those impacted by sexual abuse in their recovery. Community volunteers are the crucial aspect in the successes in these two aims we have so far achieved. We have been contributing to public protection since 2002. Services for survivors of sexual harm are described under the Reducing Sexual Harm (RSH) tab
Welcome to our Website

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CirclesSE.org.uk | Reducing Sexual abuse in our communities

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At Circles South East our core aims are twofold. Firstly we aim to reduce the instances of sexual abuse. Secondly we aim to assist those impacted by sexual abuse in their recovery. Community volunteers are the crucial aspect in the successes in these two aims we have so far achieved.

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POPS provide information and support for offenders' families from the point of arrest through to release and beyond.

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A conference with children who expressed their views about family imprisonment

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On Friday 14th June a group of children and young people travelled to Westminster to tell MPs, Peers (members of the House of Lords), policy officials, journalists, prison governors and a handful of academics, what it has been like for them to experience parental imprisonment, and what they think should be done to change that experience for other children. The children are all connected to community organisations that support children with a family member in prison. There are very few of these organisations across the UK and most were represented. Children Heard and Seen, My Time, Vox Liminis Kin project, Nepacs and Families Outside had gathered children from England and Scotland. The conference was conceived of and organised by Dr Lorna Brookes ( My Time Project / Liverpool John Moores University) and Sarah Burrows ( Children Heard and Seen).

It was a child-led conference so the registration, key notes, questions, ideas, planning of the conference all came from children and young people.

The role of the adults was to listen to the children and young people, and answer their questions about why the system is as it is.

If you read nothing else then please read the children's 7 Calls to Action:

1. There should be a policy where any offenders who have a child under 18 yrs should not have their name or home address printed in the press to protect the children and family from community backlash

2. In all prison visits, children and families should be given at least a 10 minute warning that their visit is coming to an end so that they can say a goodbye that is not in a rush

3. All children with a parent in prison should be entitled to family day visits and these should not be held back to punish an offender.

4. More consideration should be given to the needs of children when a parent is arrested

5. Children with a parent in prison should be eligible for pupil premium money at school. We are disadvantaged and should be supported as other disadvantaged children are.

6. If children of prisoners were priorities in the same way that looked after children are for school admission it would not only help us with our education but give our families a real reason to disclose we have a parent in prison to gain the support. At the moment a disclosure equates to little or nothing and at worse unwanted judgment.

7. More funding should be provided so that all children affected by parental imprisonment can access a specialised support group in their local area to reduce their sense of isolation and increase their coping strategies. We should not be 'tagged on' to wider support services - our needs are very specific

Through the day a number of topics were explored and I'm going to set out in summary what the children said about each topic. I am not adding my own commentary as this conference was for children to express their views. Some children want to be identified and others don't which is why not all comments are attributed to an individual.

What it's like when you parent goes to prison

It's important to know when you can take your armour off. I must use my experience wisely. I must not let it kill me. My experience and I must not falter. But it does not define me - Vox Liminis Kin project

If children can't see their parent in prison it's very sad. Every child should get to be happy all the time. Everyone should be nice because it is hard that my Dad is in prison. They misunderstand me when I'm sad - it's because I cannot see my Dad. You can write letters but it's not the same. No one should have to live with sadness in their heart. I know it's tough for the parent in prison. But what about us? Thank you for listening. Lacey Children Heard and Seen

I was 8 and my Mum was my best friend. One day I got dropped at my Grandmothers' and then it was a week, and 2 weeks and 3 weeks and she didn't come back and I was told she was in prison. Everything was not the same. My routine changed. My school changed. All I wanted was to see her and to know that she's ok. I had to mature before I even knew how to. I couldn't be a child and I needed to be a child. I was bullied a lot. It wasn't the kids it was their parents who gossiped and the children picked up and were told they couldn't play with me any more. It was a lot to handle, the talk that your Mum is a bad person. Olivia, MyTime Project

I found out Dad was going to court 2 days before court. I was 16 and my brother was 14 and my wee sisters didn't know. I felt like something was going on but no idea what. My mum went to court and she told me he got 4 years ... I had to grow up really fast. I had to get a job really quickly.

I was 12 or 11 and I woke up one morning and was dropped off at my brothers house. I didn't know what for and my mum and dad left. Mam picked me up. Got dropped to my aunties and told that our dad had gone to prison. It was only about a year later that we got told he'd got 4 years. Accused of sexual assault. I did a bit of research. I found out why he was accused. That was the wrong thing to do. I found out all the details. I found out they'd put out the address. Luckily for us a lot of people round us were respectful so we didn't have to move. Aaron, MyTime Project

Sometimes people say 'You're better off' well that's not for other people to decide. Its not right for people to say that! Spending time with my dad from quite a young age I used to ride bikes with my dad and it was the best thing. I'd look forward to it every day. For it to be taken away so quickly, it was heartbreaking. People expect us to get on and it's just not right. Aaron, MyTime Project

I couldn't give my Dad a hug goodbye. My sister was watching from the living room window and was sick all over the floor. It just messes with your head to the point where some people just give up. Aaron, MyTime Project

The things that help me is making a memory box and making stress busters. I also bought a teddy bear for my dad on Father's Day and I put it in the box. Cerys, MyTime Project

You should get more time to say goodbye to your parent properly if you're not going to get to see them. Aaron, MyTime Project

Prison Visits

They would be better if: there was more privacy, other places to go like a garden or outside space - For example, a packet of crisps is £3 and the limit is only £20 - Luke, Children Heard and Seen; if the food was cheaper, because you are only allowed a certain amount, this isn't ideal for bigger families because they wont be able to get enough food. Jay, Children Heard and Seen

When my dad was in prison he was ready to move to an open prison. He had to move to a prison that was 77 miles away which is a 3 hour car journey. But there was a closer prison that was 7 miles away from the prison he was already at. If he didn't go to the prison 77 miles away he would go back to the other prison he was already at and lose all his privileges such as higher paid work, a better-ish room and better seats when we come to visit. I think this was inconvenient for me to visit therefore I only visited 3 times over the whole year. The rule that should be changed is that prisoners should be moved to as close as possible to their children. If my dad was closer I would have seen him more often. Luke, Children Heard and Seen

My first visit was uncomfortable and intimidating when I got searched . The guards were very strict in their tone and grumpy when they told me what to do. The experience was bad enough, let alone how they looked and spoke to us. We haven't done anything wrong for them to treat us like this which makes us feel like bad people. Khizr, Children Heard and Seen

On one of my visits when we were being searched they sent the dogs in to smell us, they were REALLY BIG German Shepherds. They scared the smaller children and some even started to cry. My sister started to cry, she was only four at the time the dogs were too close sniffing her she was terrified! When on a visit if you went to a toilet you would think it was the place with the most privacy but the guards will stand inside and watch you it felt very uncomfortable now I go to toilets with locks on. This made me feel like the bad person like a criminal but I knew that I had done nothing wrong. After coming out of the toilet you were searched AGAIN! Jay, children Heard and Seen

In some prisons if you need the toilet you have to leave the prison and you are not allowed in. This is not FAIR! Children want to spend time with their parents. Khizr, Children Heard and Seen

When you are 10 you can wear hoodies. When you turn 11 you can't. Luke The whole visit you are building up confidence to speak and include them back into daily life, but there is no warning for children to say goodbye and you just have to say goodbye and go. Luke, Children Heard and Seen

I can't sleep the night before visits, so I'm really tired. It's a 200 mile trip and the roads are narrow and twisty and me and my brother get travel sick.

We'd have to get to the visit 2 hours early so that we'd get the first ticket and get the full two hours.

When it was winter we couldn't drive there. We'd have had to go by 2 trains and 2 taxis and we couldn't. One lady left at 5 am and got home at midnight. We didn't see my Dad from Christmas to Easter Savannah, MyTime Project

Our regular visit lasted 2 hours and it was a 10 hour trip. Dad couldn't leave his seat and couldn't touch us after a first hug and kiss and we couldn't sit on his knee. It made me think my Dad didn't want me. The rules were explained but I still didn't understand. Savannah, MyTime Project

Family days were much better - more fun and less scary and intimidating. Dad could walk around and play with us. There was a much happier atmosphere. They made me feel more like a family again. Luca, MyTime Project

We had to wait 2 weeks/ 4 weeks/ 4 months for our first visit Various children

Because our Dad was convicted of historic sexual assault we weren't given the same activities as other children. We weren't allowed to do arts and crafts.

School said my wee sisters couldn't go to the visits because they were on Friday mornings.

I wasn't allowed to go to family visits because I was 16. I missed out on 6 months of visits because of that.

A prison officer made the visits so welcoming and fun that my brother thought he was just having a normal day with his Dad

I don't see my Dad. I like someone to be with me when I visit my Dad because I'm not sure I trust him. Kayim, Children Heard and Seen

Even though we can't see our Dad it doesn't mean we don't miss him Jasmyn, Children Heard and Seen

I've never been to see my Dad in prison. I only get to call my Dad when I'm at my Nanny's house because my Nanny has a telephone. You should know that not all children see their parents in prison. Sometimes the police won't let you see the parent if the parent has not been good, even if you are upset about it. Leah, Children Heard and Seen

I have only been to see my step dad once because I got banned from the visits. This makes me very sad that I cannot see my step-dad. I think that the guards are very suspicious of all the children and it's not fair because we are there to spend time as a family. I didn't even get time to speak to my step dad properly because they stopped the visit early. I think this is unfair and I am really upset. It is really hard not being allowed to see my stepdad. I wish my stepdad was at home. We should all be happy. I don't think it's fair that the Judge decides. PLEASE RESPECT US! Anon, Children Heard and Seen

My Dad has been in prison for one year and a half now and I don't want to visit him because of what he has done. I wish he had made different choices and thought about us. I don't want to see him because he didn't really think about us. When he calls he only thinks about himself and not about how we are. Jasmyn, Children Heard and Seen

Questions from the children to a prison Governor

Why do prison officers have frowns on their faces?

Do you treat everyone the same or do you treat them differently because of what they've done?

Why does the prison have to be so far away? Why does it have to be that far? If you can't put them in the closest prison why can't it be in the next closest prison?

Why wasn't I warned my first visit with my Mum would be a closed visit? When I got there I was 9 and the hug and kiss you get in the first few minutes is everything to you, and when I was told I wouldn't get that I had an asthma attack so I never got to see my Mum at all.

Why is there a limit on how much money you can bring in to buy food and drink? Why is it so expensive?

Why are visitors only allowed to wear certain clothes?

Why do prisoners have to share rooms?

My Dad said going through prison security is like an airport security check. Is it?

Why do people move prisons?

Why are there so few phones for prisoners to call us from? In a block of 20 prisoners there is usually only one phone.

Why aren't there more family visits?

Why aren't prisoners allowed their own phones?

Why can't the parent walk around during the visit?

If a mum or dad goes to prison for fraud why do the family have to pay it back?

Why do prisoners not have much time or space to go outside and exercise?

Experiences of the media / questions for journalists

We couldn't go home because the newspaper went out with misinformation and my Dad's name and our address. We had to move from there.

Social media has had a large impact on multiple people putting out information that is personal and can put people at risk. Media has gone from being a source of truth to lies, sensationalism and they put a story out there that is far fetched and never happened. They are getting tiny snippets of information and adding extra information on which is a wrong thing to do. Aaron, MyTime Project

That's my home where I live. I should be able to feel safe and content. Why did the address need to be published in the paper to make income for the paper? I was 15 and I had to live in that home because I had nowhere else to go. Olivia, MyTime Project

From a few details they made a whole story about it. I don't think anyone thought of the impact it would have on the family. Aaron, MyTime Project

Why does a person's face, address, second name need to be in the papers? Why does it have to backfire on the children and everyone who knows the person?

The media is all about money. I don't think you care about the actual people. Why can't they be better and think about the families and everyone else instead of just thinking about money.

Failure of support services

My siblings were assigned a social worker but I wasn't until I was 17. I felt like I'd been shoved in a cupboard and forgotten about. I arranged to meet the social worker in a coffee shop. On four occasions she cancelled on me while I was sat in Costa waiting for her.

Experiences at school and things children would like at school

A trainee teacher said 'you don't want to end up like your mother do you?' That hurt me because my Mum is my hero. She is to this day. She gave birth to me and gave me morals and confidence. Olivia, MyTime Project

One of the most devastating things about having a parent in prison is the fact that you go to school and you get labelled with what your father or mother has been sent away with by your friends and it gets spreads all across the school which makes you an easy target to get bullied. You get frowned upon every time you see people at school. You're walking to school wanting to get an education and make something of yourself in life, and then you're walking in and getting the opposite. It's not right and it kills people. Aaron, MyTime Project

We would like a family room at school where you can go into to talk about things.

Teachers should get training on how to handle things.

We should learn about it in school so that more people are aware of the situation.

We don't want teachers to keep asking if we're ok, or taking us out of class because that draws attention to it.

Sometimes you don't want a teacher to know in case they don't treat you the same.

Workshops like the KIN project Waiting Room workshop would be good in schools.

There should be private places for children to talk about these things in school - not just an empty office with other members of staff walking in and out.

Bullying in school is normal if you have a parent in prison.

Thoughts on support organisations

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On Friday 14th June a group of children and young people travelled to Westminster to tell MPs, Peers (members of the House of Lords), policy officials, journalists, prison governors and a handful of academics, what it has been like for them to experience parental imprisonment, and what they think should be done to change that...

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Children with a parent in prison with Dr. Shona Minson

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BBC Radio 5 live - Afternoon Edition, The Long Listen: How to help children whose mothers are in prison

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How do we prevent children being punished for their mothers crimes?

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Understanding how prisons work

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DoingTime, a guide to prison and probation

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If you or your loved one are facing a criminal conviction and want help navigating through the minefield which is the British penal system this is the site for you. DoingTime will tell you the reality of what you are facing as you are processed through the system, and will help you and yours deal with the day-to-day issues. We do not dispense legal advice, that is the role of the expert legal profession, but we will deal with the more basic problems you will face. DoingTime is not a political or campaigning web site; we try to tell it like it is based on our shared experiences on both sides of the wall.

The truth. DoingTime won't disguise the difficulties of serving a custodial sentence, neither will we try to frighten you about life behind bars, just give you the reality. Whether you have a community order, a suspended sentence or are held in prison the stress and pain is felt by all those connected, and this site tries to help all those parties. The pain doesn't always end when released, and we also try to help you address those issues.

The Victims. DoingTime provides factual information to the victims of crime, explaining what help is available from the prison, probation and other agencies. DoingTime also explains in simple, clear, terms what actually happens to those given a sentence by the courts, and what rights and help is available to the victim. We also hope that this site will give some insight to the victims of crime so that they can understand and appreciate what a prison sentence means to the guilty party and their friends and families.

The Law. Throughout this website DoingTime will refer to various Government or Ministry of Justice web sites or publications as the weight of legislation and documentation surrounding prison life is mountainous and it's always better to go to the source of the information rather than a brief summary, but we hope this site will uncover some of the mystic around prison.

The Media. Reports on prison, probation and crime in general in the media almost always have a bias, be it politically or socially driven; the facts can be difficult to find! DoingTime tries only to report the facts, we leave it up to you and others to form opinions about what is right or wrong.

The site is not yet live, so many/some of the features are still in development and are not functioning. Please forgive the DoingTime team as we try and get it completed.

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DoingTime, a guide to prison and probation

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If you or your loved one are facing a criminal conviction and want help navigating through the minefield which is the British penal system this is the site for you. DoingTime will tell you the reality of what you are facing as you are processed through the system, and will help you and yours deal with the day-to-day issues.

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Supporting children affected by parental imprisonment in Merseyside

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We are Child Led: The My Time Project is 'a service created with children, for children'. We passionately believe that children are able to form sensible and effective solutions to their own problems if they are given the correct opportunities to do so.

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Invisible Walls from Barnados.  Resource Toolkit

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Invisible Walls from Barnados.  Resource Toolkit

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Clinks website | supporting voluntary organisations that work with offenders and their families

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Clinks supporting voluntary organisations that work with offenders and their families

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Excellent resources, toolkits and briefings, although be aware some may relate to the Scottish legal system.

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Families Outside constantly creates new tools, research, and resources to support professionals who regularly come into contact with families affected by imprisonment.

The Framework for the Support of Families Affected by the Justice System is intended for use across various settings and by any individual or organisation that has contact with families. Its eleven broad outcomes and associated recommendations describe an ideal standard of support for families affected by the criminal justice system.

The Good Practice Guidance for the Support of Families Affected by Imprisonment is written for professionals working with families, whether from voluntary or statutory organisations, and can be used by family members themselves. It gathers together evidence from research and practice, drawing on the expertise of Network members throughout Scotland.

For a comprehensive list of tools and resources, please visit our Publications Page.

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Tools and Resources for Professionals Dealing with Families Affected by Imprisonment

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Families Outside constantly creates new tools, research, and resources to support professionals who regularly come into contact with families affected by imprisonment. The Framework for the Support of Families Affected by the Justice System is intended for use across various settings and by any individual or organisation that has contact with families.

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The importance of  supported relationships to rehabilitation.

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Children of Prisoners: Interventions and mitigations.

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Conducted by: Professor Adele Jones (Project Leader), Professor Alex Hirschfield, Professor Mike Lucock, Martin Manby, Dr Bernard Gallagher, Ben Raikes and Kathryn Sharratt, 2010-2013

Collaborators: Partners of Prisoners and Families Support Group, together with partner institutions from Romania, Sweden, France, Germany and Switzerland

Working in six countries, involving 10 partners and five languages, the EU-funded (FP7) COPING project examined mental health, wellbeing and resilience among children of imprisoned parents in four countries, with the aim of understanding how the imprisonment of a parent really affects children.

Existing research indicated that a notable minority of children in many different countries will experience having a parent/carer in prison. This research also suggested that these children will encounter a range of psychosocial adversities, including behavioural difficulties, educational problems and financial hardship. However, researchers identified a lack of information on the situation of these children and how they are affected by parental imprisonment, along with the availability and efficacy of services to meet their needs. The COPING project was therefore designed to address this knowledge gap, adopting a positive psychology approach in order to focus on the coping mechanisms and resilience of these children, as well as the problems that they may experience.

Research was carried out in Germany, Romania, Sweden and the UK and consisted of four key stages, with fieldwork carried out predominantly in prisons, family homes and non-government organisation offices. The first stage involved a questionnaire survey with children who had a parent or carer in prison and also a non-imprisoned carer, followed by interviews with a sub-sample of these children and their parents. Interviews were also conducted with education staff, social workers, prison staff and foster carers. Finally a mapping exercise of services to children and families was carried out.

Overall, the research undertaken as part of the COPING project has involved over 1500 children and parents (including imprisoned parents). This has produced evidence to inform policy and programmes to better support and protect children from the effects of parental imprisonment right across Europe. The project findings showed that children of prisoners are at heightened risk of negative outcomes in terms of social and economic disadvantage, stigmatization and behavioural and mental health problems, however resilience is improved depending on the quality of family relationships, contact with the imprisoned parent and support available.

The full findings were published in a final COPING report on (CORDIS), the Community Research and Development Information Service of the European Commission. The report has been disseminated widely through a range of channels and makes recommendations at national level for European agencies and international level.

COPING project partners:

The University of Huddersfield worked collaboratively on the COPING project with the European Network for Children of Imprisoned Parents (Eurochips, France) and the Quaker United Nations Office (QUNO, Geneva, Switzerland), as well as partners in each of the following countries which research was undertaken:

Germany: Technische Universitaet, Dresden and Treffpunkt e.V.

Romania: Universitatea Alexandru Ioan Cuza and Asociatia Alternative Sociale

Sweden: Karolinska Institutet and Bryggan

UK: Partners of Prisoners and Families Support Group

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Conducted by: Professor Adele Jones (Project Leader), Professor Alex Hirschfield, Professor Mike Lucock, Martin Manby, Dr Bernard Gallagher, Ben Raikes and Kathryn Sharratt, 2010-2013 Collaborators: Partners of Prisoners and Families Support Group, together with partner institutions from Romania, Sweden, France, Germany and Switzerland Working in six countries, involving 10 partners and five languages, the EU-funded (FP7) COPING project examined mental health, wellbeing and resilience among children of imprisoned parents in four countries, with the aim of understanding how the imprisonment of a parent really affects children.

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Support for women offenders across Sussex

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Film which breaks down in detail what to expect when your family member goes to prison

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Coping with a loved one's sentence can be a daily struggle and having someone who can provide a listening ear can be a huge help.

Pact Family Befrienders provide support when it's needed it the most. They can support families on the phone or face to face to help them better cope with the emotional and practical issues that are faced on a daily basis as a result of the imprisonment of a loved one.

They support people to minimise the negative impact that imprisonment can have on family life, particularly on children, and can also help families to maintain regular contact with the prisoner and plan for release.

Do you need someone to talk to?

We run Peer Support Groups which are typically held once a month. Family Befrienders can come along and meet other people in similar situations and share their thoughts, feelings and experiences in a non-judgmental, friendly environment.

Contact us

If you would like to be put in touch with a Family Befriender or would like to attend our Peer Support Group, please call us on 0808 808 3444 or email us on [email protected] .

Quality Standards

This service has achieved Approved Provider Standard (APS) status by the Mentoring & Befriending Foundation - a national quality standard which is awarded to organisations that are comprehensively assessed for 10 requirements across four key areas supporting safe and effective practice in mentoring and befriending.

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Coping with a loved one's sentence can be a daily struggle and having someone who can provide a listening ear can be a huge help. Pact Family Befrienders provide support when it's needed it the most.

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First Words - young people’s experience of having a family member in prison by Families Outside

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First Words - young people's experience of having a familiy member in prison

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A video of the personal experiences of young people having a family member in prison in Scotland.

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The ‘StopSO Support for Families Online Group’ is a safe place for family members of a sexual offender, or for family members of someone who is worried that they may cause sexual harm. Here, you can share experiences and provide support to one another.

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The 'StopSO Support for Families Online Group' is a safe place for family members of a sexual offender, or for family members of someone who is worried that they may cause sexual harm. Here, you can share experiences and provide support to one another.

The realisation that a close family member may be a sexual offender inevitably brings up a huge range of emotions; including shame, guilt, disbelief, anger and fear. At the same time, the love, respect and affection do not disappear overnight. Trying to reconcile the mix of complicated feelings is emotionally exhausting, at a time when everything that you took for granted has been thrown into turmoil.

Although it is hosted and moderated by StopSO, it is not a professional helpline and does not give advice - rather it offers its users a platform to talk to others in the same situation. It is open to anyone who has a close relationship with a sexual offender, regardless of whether the offence happened years ago or has just become known.

If you wish to be added to the group, please send an email to [email protected] and include the following information:

The email address you want added to the group

Your relationship to the offender/s

Very brief details of the offence/s

The group is open to those aged 18 or over.

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StopSO Support for Families Online Group " StopSO UK

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The 'StopSO Support for Families Online Group' is a safe place for family members of a sexual offender, or for family members of someone who is worried that they may cause sexual harm. Here, you can share experiences and provide support to one another.

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Gatwick Detainees Welfare Group, help for detained asylum seekers.

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The Gatwick Detainees Welfare Group is a registered charity that provides emotional and practical support, through its volunteer vistors, to asylum seekers and immigration detainees held at Tinsley House and Brook House removal centres near Gatwick Airport.

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Did you know there are around 312,000 children in the UK with a parent in prison?
If you have a parent in prison you are not alone.
Time-Matters UK, based in Merseyside, supports children who are impacted by parental imprisonment. We provide group support and individual support for children and young people aged 5yrs to 18yrs, both face to face and online, and welcome children from anywhere in the UK who might wish to join us.

Please have a look at the range of services we offer.

Join our support groups and meet other children and young people who share your experience and know how you feel.

Become part of a child advisory group where you can have your voice heard (anonymously if you wish) to help make important and necessary changes to the way children and their families are treated when a parent goes to prison. Speak with other young people at national and international conferences, on TV or on the radio.

Get involved in special projects and outings such as fine art, theatre, creative writing and journalism.

Also, come and join us for fun days out and residential trips.

We are really proud of the children from Time-Matters UK who have designed, informed and illustrated a self-help booklet, called Safe-Together. Available to view online or download.

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Did you know there are around 312,000 children in the UK with a parent in prison? If you have a parent in prison you are not alone. Time-Matters UK, based in Merseyside, supports children who are impacted by parental imprisonment.

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Women in Prison was born out of the anger our founder - Chris Tchaikovsky - felt about what she saw when imprisoned in HMP Holloway. We support women to avoid and exit the criminal justice system and campaign for the radical changes needed to deliver support services and justice for women.

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Support for people once they have left prison

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Lots of useful information. Refer to the 'PAS INFORMATION SHEETS' for detailed advice.

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The Prisoners' Advice Service is an independent registered charity which offers free legal advice and support to prisoners in England and Wales.

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Stay at home

Only go outside for food, health reasons or work (but only if you cannot work from home)

If you go out, stay 2 metres (6ft) away from other people at all times

Wash your hands as soon as you get home

Do not meet others, even friends or family.

You can spread the virus even if you don't have symptoms.

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Only go outside for food, health reasons or work (but only if you cannot work from home) If you go out, stay 2 metres (6ft) away from other people at all times Wash your hands as soon as you get home Do not meet others, even friends or family.

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Sexual Violence and Sexual Abuse support services

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Sexual Violence and Sexual Abuse support services

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Prison Reform Trust. Bromley Briefing Factfile

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Prison Reform Trust. Bromley Briefing Factfile