Problems

Offenders & Family Support

Agencies providing advice, support and information

Action for Children
https://parents.actionforchildren.org.uk/home-family-life/family-relationships/supporting-a-child-with-a-family-member-in-prison/
Talking to a child when someone close to them is arrested or sent to prison

Apex Trust
01744 612 898
www.apextrust.com
Helpline for ex offenders, prisoners, probation staff and employers. Cover a range of issues that affect ex-offenders seeking employment including when a conviction becomes spent, how to find local sources for help, information about the Criminal records Bureau and how to disclose a criminal record to an employer.

Caring for Prison Leavers - useful organisations
https://caringforprisonleavers.org/usefulorgs

Children Heard and Seen
https://childrenheardandseen.co.uk/
Children Heard and Seen support children, young people and their families who are impacted by parental imprisonment. They strive to support their needs, listen to their concerns and ensure that their voices are heard. All support is offered at no cost to the family and without the need for agency referral. They offer one to one support with trained staff, volunteer mentoring, parents support, peer support groups for children, online activities for children and activity days.

Families Outside: Scotland
0800 254 0088
www.familiesoutside.org.uk
Helpline for families affected by imprisonment.

Forward
020 3981 5525
www.forwardtrust.org.uk
Forward empowers people to break the often interlinked cycles of addiction or crime to move forward with their lives. For more than 25 years they have been working with people to build positive and productive futures. They believe that anyone is capable of lasting change. Their services have supported thousands of people to make changes to create better lives with jobs, family, friends and a sense of community.

The Hardman Trust
020 7261 0084
https://www.hardmantrust.org.uk/
The Hardman Trust is the only UK charity focused specifically on the needs of people on long term sentences. They support people during their sentence, as they prepare for release, and as they settle back into the community. Their vision is a future where everyone can achieve their potential within and beyond prison. They offer support in planning and preparing for release. They then follow up with the financial support to turn that plan into reality, and ongoing support to stay on track after prison. For those in the earlier stages of their sentence, they offer letter writing support to reduce feelings of isolation, and improve connection with the outside world. They offer information and guidance for anyone in prison who is preparing for their release. They maintain a directory of support services with information on everything from housing to employment, along with where to get financial support.

Langley House Trust:
03330 035 025
www.langleyhousetrust.org
To spread and sustain Christianity among men and women who are ex-offenders or who have been or who are at risk of committing a criminal offence. Provides resettlement support for ex offenders working towards crime free independence and reintegration into society. Residential projects including drug rehabilitation centres, women’s projects and a new homeless project, along with associated move on facilities and floating support services, provide a range of supported accommodation and are able to work with those who are hard to place and who have special needs.

Nacro:
0300 123 1889
www.nacro.org.uk
Information and advice for prisoners, ex-offenders, their families and friends.

National Information Centre on Children of Offenders
https://www.nicco.org.uk/directory-of-services
Directory of Services: Support Services are provided for offenders children and families both in prison and in the community. The NICCO Directory of Services enables you to find out what is available in the prison where children and families are visiting a family member as well as what services are provided nationally and in the region where they live.

Prisoners' Families Helpline:
0808 808 2003
https://www.prisonersfamilies.org/
Information and support for families who have come into contact with the criminal Justice System as a result of a family member’s offending behaviour. Interpreting/translation services are available for those whose first language is not English.

Partners of Prisoners and Families Support Group (POPS)
www.partnersofprisoners.co.uk
POPS aims to provide a variety of services to support anyone who has a link with someone in prison, prisoners and other agencies. POPS provides assistance to these groups for the purples of enabling families to cope with the stress of arrest, imprisonment and release. POPS are currently contracted to deliver the Offenders' Families Helpline.

Prison Advice & Care Trust: (PACT)
www.prisonadvice.org.uk
A national charity that provides support to prisoners, people with convictions, and their families. They support people to make a fresh start, and minimise the harm that can be caused by imprisonment to people who have committed offences, to families and to communities.

Prison Advice & Care Trust: PACT
https://www.prisonadvice.org.uk/get-help/children-young-people/
Support for children and young people affected by imprisonment

Prison Advice & Care Trust: PACT
https://www.prisonadvice.org.uk/get-help/children-young-people/locked-out/
A book for children with a loved one in prison.

Prison Fellowship England and Wales:
020 7799 2500
www.prisonfellowship.org.uk
Supporting, through 160 local groups, prisoners, ex offenders and families. Run programmes intending to change prisoners behaviour and attitudes, work outside prison with released offenders and prisoners families including practical support for those families.

Re-Unite
https://www.commonwealhousing.org.uk/projects/re-unite
Re-Unite was developed to demonstrate that mothers and children who have been separated by imprisonment can be successfully reunited and indeed, thrive when obstacles are removed and when timely support is provided. Re-Unite aim to be the most effective programme in England and Wales for reuniting and resettling families when a mother is released from prison. Re-Unite is run by established charities already at the heart of their communities and offers a tried and tested package of support and housing to ensure that mothers and children start to live healthy, stable, crime-free lives.

Safer Lives
0800 0435987
https://www.saferlives.com/
Specialist support during investigations for indecent images and other sexual offences.
Have you been arrested for offences involving indecent images, online sexual communications, or other sexual offences? Do you feel overwhelmed, scared and alone, but also responsible for the position you are in? Whether you've been released on bail, are under investigation, or awaiting court dates, they offer independent and non-judgemental advice and guidance tailored to your individual situation. Their one-to-one services give specialised welfare and behavioural supprt, helping you gain clarity and move forward in a way that is safe for you and for others. If you seek help from Safer Lives, it is not an admission of guilt. If you tell them that you have offended, they will not make any assumptions about the reasons for this. they have worked with over 2000 clients in similar situations to you and have the knowledge and skills to help.Check website for further details and any fees involved.      

Trailblazers Mentoring:
0800 193 4046
https://trailblazersmentoring.org.uk/
Trailblazers is a national charity set up to mentor young offenders (18-25), with the primary objective of helping to reduce their re-offending. Through weekly 1 hour, 1:1 mentoring sessions – both inside prisons and “through the gate” once they are released – they aim to educate, encourage and inspire our mentees to change their future and make a positive impact on their communities.

UNGRIPP
https://www.ungripp.com/
The United Group for Reform of IPP (UNGRIPP) is a grassroots campaigning organisation pushing for changes to the Indeterminate Sentence for Public Protection (IPP)

Unlock:
01634 247350
www.unlock.org.uk
Independent award winning charity which provides information, advice, training and advocacy dealing with the ongoing effects of criminal convictions.

Working Chance: Unlocking Women's Potential
https://workingchance.org/
The UK's only employment charity solely for women with convictions. From CVs and interview practice to help disclosing your conviction and boosting your confidence


Guide to Bank Accounts for Prisoners 

Research suggests that bank accounts are a key factor in preventing people from re-offending as they have the ability to work and receive benefits. 
This guide explores why a bank account is so important for prison leavers, as well as the current problems surrounding the issue and the steps prisoners can take to secure a bank account for themselves.

https://www.nerdwallet.com/uk/current-accounts/prison-bank-account-guide/