Developing support services for families of prisoners

Action for Prisoners' Families wants ever prisoner's family to get the support they would like and need.

One of our core aims is to increase the support available to families affected by imprisonment both through properly funded specialist services (visitors' centres attached to prisons, and support services) and via mainstream children and families service providers, and prisons, from the statutory, private and voluntary sector.   

How do we do this?

By identifying and publicising best practice in community and prison-based  work with the families of prisoners. 

APF works with its members to identify and develop good practice.  APF's Family Friendly Challenges  in 2006 and 2008 provided support and guidance to prisons to enable family friendly visits and events to take place.  In 2010 we are running another Family Friendly Prison Challenge.  You can download a poster below.  If you would like a pack with suggestions for running a Family Friendly event please  e-mail Trevor Andreas . 

By identifying or developing appropriate training materials and services for professionals working with the children and families of prisoners.

APF has produced specialist resources and can deliver bespoke training.   E-mail Lucy Keenan ,  APF's Development Director, or  Sam Hart  if you would like to discuss your training needs. 

By supporting the development of new and improved services for families of prisoners, especially through existing children and families' services.  

Partnership and collaboration is at the heart of much of APF's work, whether it be through working wiith our members, or through wider partnerships and collaboration. 

 

By running events such as good practice forums, conferences and other events. 

APF runs regular forums around the country.  Recent forums have focused on 'everything you need to know about sentencing', media training for prisoners' families and those working with them, and visitors centre specifications.  

By producing publications and resources for professionals

APF has produced two DVDs in October 2009 - 'Missing Out' and 'Family Business' to complement our Homeward Bound DVD and Resource Pack which  has been used throughout the prison estate as well as in community settings.  The three DVDS look at the impact of imprisonment on families from the focus of grandparents, fathers and sons, partners and children.  All three plays have been researched by author Mary Cooper, and written by her with the help of prisoners' families, partners and those working with prisoners.  Go to our publications and resources pages to find out more.

Go to our Family Zone where you can download examples of innovative information for families produced by APF and APF members.

Information for families at courts in the East Midlands

APF has  published a pocket-sized leaflet 'Sent to Prison? Custody in the East Midlands' which gives basic information for families whose partners or relatives have just been sent to prison or a young offenders institution (YOI).  You can download it below or phone Rosemary Cooney at APF's East Midlands office for a free copy: 0115 905 2736 or e-mail her. 

An APF survey found that the way families are treated on visits was one of the main areas our members wanted us to focus on. 

'It's all right prisoners getting the information they need, but where is the support for families outside who don't know the system and have never gone through this?'