Visits

Support Group Links

The following organisations can provide help and advice for friends and family visiting prisoners.

HM Prison Service

Keeping in touch with the outside world can be very important to those in prison. This section of the HM Prison Service website provides an overview for visitors.

Also if you are aged 18 or over and on a qualifying income, you may be able to get help with the cost of travel when visiting a close relative or partner through the Assisted Prison Visits Scheme.

Action for Prisoners Families

Action for Prisoners Families works to:

Ensure information is available to families as soon as someone is sent to prison.
Develop a nationwide network of support services to prisoner’s families.
Be the national voice for families of prisoners.
Influence policy and legislation.
Provide training, specialist publications and resource materials.
Encourage the use of Quality Standards in Visitor’s Centres and support services.
Raise awareness to increase the public’s understanding of the effects of imprisonment on families.

Kids VIP (Visiting in Prison)

Develop and share best practice concerning all aspects of visits in prisons.
Support, maintain and improve policy and practice relating to children visiting prison.
Deliver customised training and support to prison and play staff.
Provide speakers for conferences and other events.

Kids VIP believes that:

Children have a right to maintain contact with their imprisoned relations
Children affected by their relation’s imprisonment are often socially excluded
Children have the right to be treated with understanding, compassion and respect.
Good-quality, child friendly visits should be available.

POPS (Partners of Prisoners Families)

POPS provide support to anyone who has a link with someone in prison, prisoners and other agencies, to help with the stress of arrest, imprisonment and release.

S.H.A.R.P (Support, Help an Advice for Relatives and Friends of Prisoners)