Resources for professionals
There is a bewildering amount of information online for professionals working with prisoners and their families. What follows is a brief selection of resources we have found useful.
Ormiston Families is not responsible for the content or currency of external websites. To suggest a link for this page, please email Mark Proctor.
The Farmer Review
- The Importance of Strengthening Prisoners' Family Ties to Prevent Reoffending and Reduce Intergenerational Crime - a report by Lord Farmer, commissioned by the government, on the importance of family and other relational ties to prisoners' rehabilitation.
Websites
- www.nicco.org.uk
A 'one-stop' knowledge hub supporting all professionals working with children and families of offenders - www.clinks.org
Infrastructural group supporting voluntary sector organisations that work with offenders and their families - greatermanchesterscb.proceduresonline.com
Example of a local authority incorporating guidance into its procedures for working with children affected by familial imprisonment - www.scie.org.uk/atoz/
The Social Care Institute for Excellence's A-Z of resources - webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk
Joint Children of Offenders Review published by the Department for Children, Schools and Families, and the Ministry of Justice in 2007, but remains very relevant.
Videos
- Visiting Our Dad - a child's perspective on visiting a prison
- Breaking Barriers - an Ormiston Families' service for children affected by imprisonment
Audio
- Civvy Street - Guy Wiseman and Louise Duxbury, from Ormiston
Families, are interviewed on National Prison Radio's Roll Call about Civvy Street, a project supporting veterans
within the prison system.
This weekly show is was made in partnership with the Network for Ex-Service Personnel, to encourage ex-service personnel in prison to declare and get support that is available to them. National Prison Radio is a 24/7 service available in prisons across England and Wales, run by the charity Prison Radio Association
Family support organisations
There are excellent organisations offering support to families across the UK. The following is just a selection of those offering support to families affected by imprisonment. There are many others, national, regional and local. All professionals working with families need to be familiar with the local support specifically for offenders' families and ensure that all families have access to information about these organisations.
Organisations
- www.ormistonfamilies.org.uk
Ormiston Families is the eastern region's leading children and families' charity. Our Unite Programme, supports children and their families affected by offending behaviour to stay together - www.ormistonfamilies.org.uk/unite
Ormiston Families' Breaking Barriers service provides community outreach to children affected by imprisonment, and awareness training to professionals - www.ormistonfamilies.org.uk/unite
Ormiston Families' Transforming Rehabilitation service provides support to short-sentence (12 months or less) offenders and their families - www.clinks.org
CLINKS is a charity which supports voluntary organisations working with offenders and their families - www.familylives.org.uk
Family Lives is an umbrella organisation which includes Action for Prisoners' and Offenders' Families, supporting families of offenders across the UK - www.familiesoutside.org.uk
Families Outside operate in Scotland, providing information for families affected by imprisonment - latcharity.org.uk
Lincolnshire Action Trust supports prisoners and their families in Lincolnshire - www.nepacs.co.uk
NEPACS (originally the North East Prison After Care Society) supports prisoners and their families in the north east of England - www.prisonadvice-org.uk
PACT (Prison Advice & Care Trust) is a national charity providing support to prisoners, people with convictions and their families - www.partnersofprisoners.co.uk
POPS (Partners of Prisoners) is a charity for offenders' families, founded by offenders' families, and operating primarily in the north west of England - www.prisonersadvice.org.uk
The Prisoners' Advice Service provides legal advice to prisoners - www.prisonradioassociation.org
Prison Radio Association provides National Prison Radio, a 24/7 service available in prisons across England and Wales - www.spurgeons.org
Spurgeons is a national charity supporting families, including those affected by imprisonment. Currently working primarily within London prisons - www.storybookdads.org.uk
Storybook Dads help to maintain the vital emotional bond between parent and child by enabling prisoner parents to make bedtime story CDs, DVDs and other educational gifts for their children
