Children and families and contact with the outside world
The centre supports prisoners’ contact with their families and friends. Programmes aimed at developing parenting and relationship skills are provided. Prisoners not receiving visits are supported in other ways to establish or maintain family support.
19. Prisoners are encouraged to re-establish or maintain relationships with their children and families where appropriate, and are supported in doing so.
The following indicators describe evidence that may show this expectation being met, but do not exclude other ways of achieving it.
- There is a strategy to help prisoners establish and maintain contact with their family and friends and form support networks.
- There are good opportunities for families or friends to offer support to prisoners, particularly those who are vulnerable and/or who pose a risk of self-harm. Support is considered routinely as part of care planning.
- Prisoners and their families have access to suitable interventions which are aimed at supporting and improving parenting and relationship skills.
- Prisoners may visit sick relatives and attend funerals subject only to reasonable, necessary restrictions following an individualised risk assessment.
- There are imaginative methods for encouraging family contact (for example, audio recordings of stories) and opportunities for prisoners to celebrate their successes with their family and friends.
- Prisoners’ distance from home, frequency of visits, parental status and number of dependants (see notes and references, note iii) are monitored to help provide support.
- There are appropriately skilled family support workers who provide support to prisoners and their families. They develop individual plans as necessary, including for release.
- Prisoners who do not receive regular visits are identified and receive individual support and help to maintain relationships.
- Prisoners’ families and friends know how to share concerns they have about a prisoner and how to seek support.
20. The centre supports the rights of children visiting their parent in prison, subject to a risk assessment for public protection concerns.
The following indicators describe evidence that may show this expectation being met, but do not exclude other ways of achieving it.
- Children are only searched when necessary and in the presence of an appropriate adult. Searching processes are child-friendly and proportionate.
- Children are safe and can enjoy age-appropriate activities with the prisoner during the visit.
- Children are allowed to have physical contact with the prisoner they are visiting.
- Access to special/enhanced visits is in line with the rest of the prison and is not linked to the incentives policy.
- There is adequate provision of children’s/family days to meet the needs of the population.
- Prisoners receive advice on how to support their child through the experience of parental imprisonment.
21. Prisoners have regular and easy access to mail, telephones and other methods of communication, subject to a risk assessment for public protection concerns.
The following indicators describe evidence that may show this expectation being met, but do not exclude other ways of achieving it.
- Prisoners can make a free phone call on their first night in the centre.
- Prisoners’ telephone numbers are added to their PIN account within 24 hours of arrival at the centre.
- All prisoners have in-cell telephony.
- Prisoners who are parents/carers are provided with additional free letters and phone calls and can receive incoming calls from dependants (see notes and references, note iii).
- Prisoners’ outgoing mail is posted within 24 hours (48 hours when received on a Saturday) and incoming mail is received by prisoners within 24 hours of arrival at the prison, including registered and recorded mail.
- Prisoners have access to a range of electronic options (including email and video calls) to maintain family contact.
- Foreign national prisoners receive additional help and resources to keep in touch with family abroad.
- Prisoners can easily find the telephone numbers of outside organisations and know which numbers they are permitted to call.
22. Prisoners can maintain contact with the outside world through regular and easy access to visits. They are aware of the prison procedures and their visits entitlements.
The following indicators describe evidence that may show this expectation being met, but do not exclude other ways of achieving it.
- Prisoners are able to receive a visit within one week of admission and thereafter at least one visit a week for a minimum of one hour, including at weekends. Unconvicted prisoners can receive as many visits as they wish, including at weekends.
- The visits booking system for prisoners is accessible and able to deal with the number and diverse requirements of visitors.
- Prisoners’ visitors are given information about how to get to the prison, visiting hours, what to expect and how to complain.
- Where public transport is poor, the prison provides transport from local stations.
- Visitors can book future visits during their current visit.
- Prisoners without outside contact and support can access approved schemes whereby trained volunteers provide support through visits or other forms of communication (such as letters).
- Visitors who travel long distances can have accumulated, extended or consecutive visits with prisoners.
23. Prisoners see their visitors in a clean, safe and respectful environment which meets their needs.
The following indicators describe evidence that may show this expectation being met, but do not exclude other ways of achieving it.
- Searches of visitors only take place when it is necessary. All searches are proportionate, and visitors are never strip-searched.
- There are effective systems to collect and respond to feedback from prisoners and visitors (including children) about their visits experience.
- Prisoners and visitors can access toilet facilities at all times.
- Visits areas are comfortable, friendly and welcoming.
- Visiting areas are accessible to prisoners and visitors, including those with disabilities.
- Staff are trained in child safeguarding arrangements and visits staff are aware of children with safeguarding needs.
- There are clear processes for identifying visiting children, especially where there are child safeguarding concerns.
- Visitors can buy a good range of refreshments during visits.