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HM Prison Dovegate

Main & Therapeutic Prison

Family Intervention and Significant Others Strategy

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Family intervention and significant others strategy v.1

Contents

Foreword

Aim

Lord Farmers Review

The Prison Safety and Reform White Paper

Introduction

Induction, Early Days in Custody

Visits, keeping in touch

Other interventions

Resettlement Pathways and their commitment to prisoner’s children

& families.

Other significant teams within HMP Dovegate and their commitment to prisoner’s

Children & Families in 2016

Care Leavers

Annex A – Care leavers

Annex B - Questionnaire

Annex C – Information Sheet

Annex D – Equality Analysis

Annex E – Available Support

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Foreword

“Prisoners live for visits and letters. They emphasise the importance of hope and a sense of the outside world”

“Visits give you a connection to the outside world. There is no escape otherwise”

“A prisoner’s mental health is often contingent with contact with the outside world”1

Maintaining strong family relationships is a key source in helping prisoners’ to make positive changes in their lives and support mechanism during their sentence. Offenders who maintain family relationships are 38% less likely to re-offend on release.

At HMP Dovegate our aim is to provide constructive support that will enable prisoners to maintain relationships with their families and to provide interventions which will support relationship skills.

We recognise that the family serve a ‘Hidden Sentence’ along with the prisoners’ and we aim to provide re -sources to support all of the family through their loved ones stay at HMP Dovegate.

At HMP Dovegate we believe that inclusion of life skills, family learning, parenting and relationship skills are essential and to meet this need the Family interventions workers have recently trained and are now accredited to deliver the Triple P (parenting) course. We are proud to reflect that currently we are the only prison to offer this intervention.

Our Family interventions service is supported and delivered by Family Intervention’s Workers based in the prison and our services range from information, advice and guidance and delivery of both accredited and non-accredited courses including regular Family Days.

Within Dovegate we are aware that many prisoners’ are faced with social isolation. In September 2018, 318 prisoners’ were identified as having no visits within the last 2 months. We acknowledge that there are many contributing factors such as breakdown in family relationships or being in the care system, however, we are committed to ensuring that these prisoners’ are identified and there is every opportunity to help reform relationships with people outside and their peers inside

Aim

The Children, Family, Care Leaver and Significant Others Strategy aims to prioritise and drive forward this path -way to ensure it is a key part of a prisoners sentence and resettlement planning.

In order to achieve our aims, we must be strategic in introducing interventions that are effective and meet the needs of our prisoners.

In 2014, the Joint Thematic Review by Ofsted and HMIP concluded ‘An offender’s family or significant other are the most effective resettlement agency’

1 Lord Farmer Review

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Lord Farmers Review

In July 2016, the Ministry of Justice commissioned Lord Farmer, in partnership with CLINKS, to lead a review which investigated how engagement with families in the adult male prison estate across England and Wales could reduce reoffending and address intergenerational crime.

The review was published in August 2017 and welcomed by the Secretary of State for Justice who said ‘Families can play a significant role in supporting an offender and I am grateful to Lord Farmer for his dedication and re -search on this important issue.’

Lord Farmer was also asked to review what works to help those men who do not have any family connections such as those who were previously in the Care System, or who have lost contact with family because of going to prison or due to the nature of their offences.

The Prison Safety and Reform White Paper

The Prison Safety and Reform White Paper sets out four standards that we can use to monitor performance and by supporting providers to maintain links back to the community, we will work to develop a measure of the qual -ity of prisoner’s family relationships.

Standard 1 Public Protection

Policy frameworks should require evidence of the involvement of families or significant others in sentence and re-settlement planning and decisions regarding the use of Release on Temporary Licence

Standard 2 Safety and Order

Prisons should be able to show evidence that family or other supportive relationships play a role in intelligence gathering regarding a prisoner’s mental health, drug use (prescription or illicit) propensity for violence and self-risk.

Standard 3 Reform

Given their role in prisoner rehabilitation a standardised visitor’s survey should be developed to capture the

experience of families as they seek to maintain contact and enable comparison between different establishments.

Standard 4 Preparing for life after Prison

Prisons should be able to show how many prisoners do not receive visits.

It is also imperative to monitor and support not only those who do not get visits but also Care Leavers who are more likely to have experienced significant trauma and abuse and other disadvantages that can put them more at risk of violence, self-harm and suicide when in prison.

HMP Dovegate will aim to introduce many new initiatives that have evolved from the White Paper and Lord Farmer’s Review and recognise the role that families and significant others can play in preventing reoffending and reduce intergenerational crime.

We will achieve this through;

Improving the parenting skills of prisoners

Provide Advice and Guidance to families and significant others

Developing our Visitors Centre service

Involve families and significant others in sentence and resettlement plans

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Improved data gathering and identifying Care Leavers and those who do not receive visits

Thread this agenda through all the resettlement pathways

Governance and Management of the pathway

In order to ensure that the “family” remains the focus of our work towards the rehabilitation of our prisoners at HMP Dovegate, we will monitor and review through;

Reducing Re-offending Pathway meetings

Reducing Re-offending strategic meetings

Hidden sentence training

Senior Management Meetings

Prisons in Partnership review (CRC)

MPQL

Prisoner, Family and Significant Other surveys

OMiC, Keyworker involvement and FACT (Family and Friends at Centre of Throughcare)

Prisoner Consultative Meetings

Family Forums

Family Day Feedback

Introduction

Maintaining family relationships is paramount in achieving a reduction in re-offending. HMP Dovegate is com-mitted to the fostering of good family relationships and the maintenance of existing relationships, in order to aid the resettlement of prisoners. The prison aims to provide a framework that enables positive outcomes and interactions for children and families with a close family member in our custody. The impact of any custodial sentence is not only felt on the family member but also on the family and friends of the prisoner.

One of the purposes of a prison sentence is to punish the offender. However, given practical, financial, social and emotional effects of imprisonment, a prison sentence can also have punitive consequences for families outside prison. Prisoners’ families, particularly their children, are often termed the ‘innocent victims’ of crime (and punishment).

For a long time, prisoners’ families were also referred to as the ‘hidden’ or ‘invisible’ victims of punishment or crime, since the hardships they experienced were not immediately obvious.

What is the impact of imprisonment on prisoners’ families?

Since every family is different (including who is considered to be part of a ‘family’), the impact of imprisonment is different for every family. Yet, research suggests that there are some fairly common experiences.

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Over 10 million children in the world have a parent in prison and Action for Prisoners Families estimates that in the United Kingdom approximately 200,000 children have a parent sent to prison each year.

The children of prisoners are 3 times more likely to take part in anti-social and delinquent behaviour. Imprison-ment can result in reduced family income, home and school moves, disrupted relationships, stigma and de-creased social support. Each year in the United Kingdom more children are affected by parental imprisonment than by divorce. It is estimated that 65% of boys who have a father in prison will go onto offend themselves. This research shows that offending can be catastrophic to families and children; who are also being punished along with their parent (Action for Prisoners Families: 2012).

Specifically:

Families experience emotional distress even with the temporary loss of a loved one from the family home and/or family life: for example, families miss out on sharing family events such as birthdays and Christmas, or even simple family activities such as meals, with the imprisoned family member.

Prisoners are stigmatised for their offence, and their families often are too. Families are seen as guilty by as-sociation even though they are legally innocent and generally have had no involvement in the offence. This stigma is sometimes referred to as stigma by association. This stigma makes the imprisonment even more difficult for family members, and it can also mean that families are treated negatively by other members of their community, or face negative treatment from colleagues, peers, the media and even friends and family.

Following the imprisonment of a person, partners of prisoners are often forced to take on multiple roles and responsibilities, particularly where the incarcerated family member has previously had an active role in the household.

Imprisonment tends to impose financial strain on the families of the prisoners in two ways: by decreasing the family income and by increasing family expenditure, due to costly visits and phone calls, and handing in money for their loved ones in prison. Prison thus can exacerbate existing socio-economic disadvantage

There are often particular difficulties associated with prison visiting. Visiting often involves great deal of time, effort (both physical and emotional) and expense. Visiting can be quite an emotional experience, with both positive and negative feelings in the mix: for example, families usually enjoy seeing their imprisoned loved one, but due to the brevity of the visit saying ‘goodbye’ comes quickly, which can be distressing.

Visiting can be particularly difficult for children, with poor facilities that are not ‘child friendly’ and confusing rules restricting how they can interact with their imprisoned family member; families often have to travel long distances to a prison, and are often reliant on public transport; visiting times may not be compatible with tea time and bed time routines, leaving children irritable or tired, which then may impact on school per -formance the following day.

Stigma for the children of prisoners can be manifested in being bullied by classmates in school.

Longer-term, children of prisoners are three times more likely to engage in anti-social or offending behaviour than their peers who do not have a parent in prison.

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Why focus on Children and Families?

Supportive families are a great resource for prisoners and they often play a vital role in helping an individual move away from crime. A supportive family can also provide effective protective factors for prisoners at risk of suicide and self-harm. Having a stable family to return to on release, can also encourage prisoners to engage in sentence planning interventions and maintain positive behaviour whilst in custody, ensuring their earliest release from custody.

Research on desistance from crime, also suggests that positive family ties can have an encouraging effect on the rehabilitation of offenders. Prisoners who had not received visits whilst in prison were 39% more likely to re-of-fend, compared to those prisoners who had received visits from family members (Action for Prisoners Families: 2012). It is therefore important at HMP Dovegate that our staff and our partners/pathways leads encourages pos -itive family relationships and identify ways of supporting families in order to reduce re-offending.

In a small number of cases maintaining family ties may not be appropriate, possibly due to the risk of harm that an offender poses to the family. Safeguarding children and supporting victims should always be a priority in the work the National Probation Service and the Community Rehabilitation Companies working with us at HMP Dove-gate

At HMP Dovegate the Children and Families Pathway, aims to ensure the interests of prisoners

Helping to maintain family ties, where appropriate.

Improving parenting skills of prisoners.

Provide and advice and guidance to families and prisoners.

Figure 1 Benefits of Family contact

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Prison Better Resettlement

Better mental health

Reduced suicide

Prison is a happier place

More engagement in purposeful

activities by prisoners

SocietyReduction in offences in next generation

Cost benefits.

ChildChild adversely affected by im-prisonment

Children need to talk to par-ents

Helps break inter-generational

cycles of crime

Child can live like any other

Prisoners partner/child's carer

Quality time with partner

Child is happier and easier to

manage

Benefits of good contact between children,

familes and prisoner par-ents

Measuring our success in developing the Children’s and Families pathway

Prisoner Annual Needs questionnaire

Prisoner rep meetings

HMIP expectation and report findings

Prisoner MQPL

Prisoner exit questionnaire

Developing a family friendly focus in prisons and through our visitor centre.

Involving the family in Resettlement decisions when appropriate

Threading the Children and Families pathway through all of the Resettlement pathways

Strategic Objectives 2018-2019

HMP Dovegate is committed to ensuring that the Children, Family, Care Leaver and Significant Other pathway is prioritised and embedded in the resettlement of prisoners alongside education and employment.

Our aim is to ensure all prisoners feel safe, and live in a safe, decent and secure community, and whilst at HMP Dovegate, they continue to communicate with and involve their families and friends. The staff and management at HMP Dovegate are dedicated to, and will encourage prisoners to maintain family contact by using the following methods:

Using the Pin Phone system

Writing to family and friends

E-mail a prisoner

Having regular social visits

Accessing our Family Learning and Graduation Days throughout the year

Involving families and others in personal review processes

We will achieve this by delivering the following that will strategically put the prison in a position where it can meet the recommendations of the Lord Farmers Review.

Communications

HMP Dovegate will improve communications through signage, Family Forums and have the Children, Family, Care Leaver and Significant Other threading through the pathways and the reducing reoffending strategic meeting.

Signage will improve and help identify;

Activities and Interventions

Building Hope

Developing a Rehabilitative Culture

Promoting Education

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SocietyReduction in offences in next generation

Cost benefits.

Providing a safe, decent, secure and friendly environment

Identify Care Leavers

Identify those who do not receive visits

Identify Carers

Offer Family participation in sentence and resettlement planning

Providing Families and significant others the facility to raise concerns about prisoners drug and alcohol use, mental health, use of violence and risk of harm

Family feedback surveys

Family Forums.

Induction

Prisoners are welcomed to HMP Dovegate in our reception area by our staff and peer mentors, our main aim is to ensure that all men in custody are treated with decency, respect and are encouraged to make contact with their family to inform them of their location at the earliest opportunity. They will be able to make an initial phone call whilst in the reception area before being located on to our residential first night centre

During an induction interview

Individuals will be asked to confirm their Next of Kin details, this will enable the prison to contact family if we need to do so.

Advice will be provided on how to update/add further contact phone numbers to personal pin phone accounts and on the frequency of, and how to book, social visits whilst at Dovegate.

The first night for any new prisoner in a new prison can feel strange and difficult, and on some occasions they may feel isolated - the more isolated a person feels, the more difficult their experience of prison can be. For many being separated from contact with family and friends can be one of the most painful consequences of prison life.

Feeling isolated can also heighten a person’s anxieties or feelings of self-harm so having a good network of sup -port is really important. Maintaining healthy contact between prisoners and their family and friends is linked both to reducing an individual’s risk of harm and to reducing reoffending, HMP Dovegate have prisoners employed as family reps to assist.

Early days in custody

Following an initial first night in custody new prisoners will be seen and the following will take place:

Basic Custody screening part one and two completed with our resettlement provider, to understand and identify individual needs

Induction delivered to provide insight into prison rules and every day custom and practice in custody

Learning and skills assessments – education and training advice & guidance

Meeting with the Chaplaincy team, Healthcare personnel and the ISMT team

A Gym induction

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Whilst in Custody

Throughout a person’s time at HMP Dovegate they will be encouraged by staff to keep in touch with their family and friends. They will also be supported by non-discipline departments who will assist with maintaining family ties by offering wide choices of support throughout the custodial period. Some of our discipline, non-discipline departments and partners at HMP Dovegate are:

The Chaplaincy team

The Independent Monitoring Board (IMB)

The Activities team – allocation hub and workshop instructors

Gymnasium PEIs

ISMT workers

Resettlement provider caseworkers

Job Centre Plus team

Peer Mentors

Maintain Ties with Family and Friends

Use of the Phone / Pin Phone System

In cell telephones are provided to all on arrival. In reception on arrival a phone call is also granted

Writing to Family and Friends

Incoming Mail: mail is delivered to the establishment Monday to Saturday, the mail is processed in the morning and delivered to each residential unit for distribution the following day. We also operate the “e-mail a prisoner” scheme, but are only able to receive in-coming e-mails from family and friends which are printed out and de -livered.

Outgoing Mail: outgoing mail is posted in post boxes on the residential units and collected by the staff

Envelopes must not be sealed. The only letters that can be sealed are legal solicitors / Rule 39 letters, these should only be sealed and signed for in front of a member of staff

All letters sent in must be addressed with:

Name & prison number

HMP Dovegate

Uttoxeter

Staffordshire

ST14 8 XR

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Visits

Visiting times at Dovegate for the main and TC are:AM 08.45 to 10.45PM 13.45 to 15.45(7 days a week)

Vulnerable prisoners:Saturday AM 08.45 to 10.45Thursday PM 13.45 to 15.45

How to book a visit

Your family can book a visit using the following methods:

Visits’ booking line Monday to Friday, open from 09.00 – 12.00 & 13.00 -16.15

online by e-mail, the best way to book a visit slot at www.gov.uk/prison-visits

Family Days

HMP Dovegate is committed to providing themed Family Days over a 12 month period. The aim of these are;

Encouraging and improving family ties

For families to take a key role in supporting prisoners through their sentence

To communicate Family Intervention

To provide support and training for prisoners who are parents, Grandparents and Carers.

Accessing Family day visits

Posters and information with dates of family days are published and available on residential units; also available in the Visitors Centre for families and friends.

Family days encourage dads & grandads to socialise in a less formal setting and to re-kindle/ develop relationships with their children/grand-children and other family members.

Throughout the year HMP Dovegate arrange family days for prisoners - both social and educational days. These family events will be less formal than normal social visits, held at school holiday times (February, Easter, May, Summer-time, October and Christmas).

Other Family Interventions

Graduation Days

HMP Dovegate delivers a range of accredited and non-accredited programmes and interventions. Graduation days are arranged following programme completion when participants can invite family and friends to their graduation / certificate presentation and to join in celebrating their success.

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Me ‘n’ My Dad

Four workshops looking at being a Dad whilst in prison, run quarterly. Dependent on security clearances all participants are entitled to attend a special Me ‘n’ My Dad Family day, usually held two-three weeks after work-shops are completed.

Triple P Parenting Programme

An eight session programme looking at being a Positive Parent. Sessions include ‘Helping children develop’ & ‘Managing misbehaviour’. Open to all prisoners but particularly useful for those with six months left to serve or who have social services interventions.

Acorn Suite

This is the Family Room which is located off the visits hall. This room can be used for baby bonding visits, social services, contact visits, children with additional needs, mediation visits and bereavement visits. To apply you need to have been at Dovegate at least three months, all application subject to security clearance

Story Book Dads

Story book dads help to maintain a vital emotional bond between parent and children by enabling dads to read and record a bedtime story – the initial recording is facilitated through the Library and the activity officers, then sent to Story Books Dads to edit and provide background ‘sound effects’ for the finished CD to be sent out to chil -dren who can then listen to Dad reading to and with them. Currently looking at Storytime messaging service whereby children will be able to see their loved one animated on screen.

Play Visits

An opportunity to spend a quality hour or two enjoying focused play with your children in the Acorn Suite, supervised by Family Support. You may book one of these a month, Family Support will discuss activities with you before the visit. You will need to have been at Dovegate at least three months and will be cleared by security.

Code Club

Including families into prisoners’ lives is crucial in building hope, reducing risk and setting them on the right path to rehabilitation. Code club is a project where by software is used by children on visits to improve engagement and trigger conversation and relationship building between the men in our custody and their families. It is educa-tional and modern and triggers excitement in youngsters that encourage the peer to engage well with. We cur-rently use this on family days and are looking at ways to enhance its use more widely through the use of promo-tion and prison reps. Code club is used in schools and libraries across the country so many children are already aware of what it is and how to use the systems

Eligibility

All prisoners, regardless of their Incentives and Earned Privileges status, will be eligible to apply for a Family Day Visit, subject to security and Public Protection risk assessment.

Evaluation

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Following all Family Days, evaluation sheets will be provided for family and prisoner feedback. This will be dis -cussed at the Children and Family Pathway Meeting and also the Prisoner Consultative meeting which will then feed into the Reducing Reoffending Strategy meeting

The Lord Farmer Review identified four key areas where there should be clear structures to offer family support and intervention;

1. Visitors Centre

2. Extended Visits

3. Family Learning

4. Gateway Communication

Visitors Centre

HMP Dovegate’s Visitors Centre is sited at the front of the establishment, it is open from 08.15 hours and this is where family, friends and legal representatives check in for pre-booked visits

Extended Visits

Extended visits will always be considered as a support mechanism for prisoners and their families or significant others. Consideration will also be given to using a legal visits room or other private area for family crisis intervention.

The Family Support Worker will review all applications and requests for the families to resolve any concerns that may impact upon the prisoner in custody.

Gateway Communication

Signage will be developed within the Visits Complex to provide families and significant others with information on what opportunities are available for prisoners in custody to use their time constructively. Families will also be encouraged to attend prisoners’ sentence and resettlement planning boards and to explain the Through the Gate process as well as information on Home Detention Curfew.

Safer Custody at HMP Dovegate recognise, for a variety of reasons, there are periods of a prisoners sentence when they become at heightened risk of suicide and self-harm. Involvement and engagement with the prisoner’s family or significant other can be useful in helping to support the prisoner through their ‘at risk’ period.

The Safer Custody Team will, with the consent of the prisoner, invite contributions or attendance from families or significant others at ACCT reviews and also following concerns about increased violence where deemed appropriate.

The Safer Custody Team manage and monitor the ‘Safeguard Hotline’ at the prison. This provides families and sig -nificant others the facility to raise their concerns about a prisoner. In 2018, we will provide further signage so we can encourage information about drug and alcohol use, Carers, Care Leavers, those with mental health concerns and those who do not have any next of kin identified and those not expecting to get visits.

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Offender Management Model

The new Offender Management in custody (OMIC) Model will enable Key Workers to promote a rehabilitative and constructive relationship with prisoners that will guide, encourage and motivate them to make the most effective use of their time when in custody. The case management element of OMIC will introduce the role of the Prison Offender Manager forming a significant link to the community aiding seamless resettlement and risk management through the gate.

The introduction of the Key Workers into HMP Dovegate will enhance the current personal officer scheme and contribute to improved performance outcomes including, lower rates of assaults, lower acts of harm etc. (safety & stability). This will allow those prisoners’ with greater and more immediate needs to receive greater focus and guidance through their custodial journey.

The focus of the key worker role is to reduce the negative effects of imprisonment. They coach, guide and encourage in order for a person in custody to:

• settle, feel safe and be calm;

• engage in their rehabilitation; and progress through their sentence

Prison offender managers are responsible for the case including and identifying risk and needs assessments, sentence planning, sequencing and coordinating the plan, delivering structured supervision and coordinating the offenders’ progression to another prison or community.

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HMP Dovegate Resettlement Pathways and their commitment to prisoner’s children & families.

1. Attitudes, Thinking and Behaviour

To provide accredited programmes to help prisoners to understand their offending and provide them with tools to help them avoid Re-offending in the future.

Current accredited programmes include Resolve, TSP, Building Better Relationships (BBR), Kaizen and a 200 bed Democratic Therapeutic Community.

Current non accredited work being delivered is A-Z which is 1 to 1 work with those prisoners who’s motivation to attend accredited programmes or engage with the regime is low.

Commitment for 2018-2020

To arrange post programme reviews, inviting attendance/input from the prisoner’s family/carer, where appropriate

To attend the family forum to provide families with information regarding the interventions available at HMP Dovegate

2. Children and families –Multi faith provision

At HMP Dovegate we have a multi faith chaplaincy team catering for the diverse pastoral and faith needs of the prison population.

The Chaplaincy team arranges on request, marriages for prisoners serving sentences at HMP Dovegate. Regular contact with the bride is necessary, to ensure the wedding plans are all in place.

Following a death in custody, the Chaplaincy team are often called upon to attend and offer support to the deceased Next of Kin. The Chaplaincy team will often take on the role of family liaison, keeping in regular con-tact with the family and offering continued support.

Following notification of a death of a relative of one of our prisoners, the chaplaincy team will provide bereave -ment support for the prisoner through this distressing period.

The Chaplaincy team also manages the volunteers who attend the visits hall to support men that have limited, if any family contact


To attend the family forum and provide families with an overview of pastoral/faith provision at HMP Dovegate

To attend the Resettlement pathway and Reducing Re-offending Meetings

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3. Accommodation

HMP Dovegate’s CRC (Community Rehabilitation Companies) have responsibility for ensuring our prisoner’s accommodation needs are met. There is joint working with the chaplaincy and the Offender Management Unit all of which work with external providers to ensure housing needs are met

The CRC complete a resettlement plan for all prisoners on initial reception to prison which identifies all Resettl -ment needs including housing issues.

They see all prisoners prior to release (at approx. 12 prior to discharge) and ensure that each prisoner has accommodation to go to on release.


CRC will explore the possibilities of involving families where appropriate, in the Resettlement boards, with permission from the prisoner.

CRC will work with the family intervention officers to provide information regarding their role at HMP Doveg-ate in supporting prisoners into accommodation on release.

4. Finance, Benefit and debt

The CRC has responsibility for ensuring our prisoners finance, benefit and debt needs are met. Fortnightly a

member of staff from Birmingham Settlement attends HMP Dovegate and provides advice, support and guidance.

CRC see all prisoners prior to release (at approx. 12 prior to discharge) and ensure that each prisoner has no outstanding issues in this area.

CRC provide every prisoner with the option of opening a bank account prior to release.


CRC will explore the possibilities of involving families where appropriate, in the Resettlement boards, with permission from the prisoner.

CRC will continue to ensure prisoners have the opportunity to address any debt issues they may have prior to returning to their families on release.

CRC will work with the prison to continue to offer all prisoners the opportunity to open a bank account prior to their release into the community.

CRC will attend the family forums to discuss with families the role of CRC at HMP Dovegate.

5. Drugs and Alcohol

Integrated Substance Misuse Team (ISMT)

ISMT are commissioned by NHS England to deliver services for offenders with a history of, and/or with current substance misuse problems. The ethos of the ISMT team is to provide an environment where recovery can be


achieved. The cycle of recovery is often a difficult one and relapse can be a feature, the involvement of family can positively support, challenge and promote recovery.


To look at developing delivery of Naloxone training to families.

ISMT have a recovery worker, within HMP Dovegate who has a secondary role to continue to liaise with families of offenders working with the Inspire team.

Provide advice and guidance to families about substance misuse and signpost any families to appropriate local support in their area.

Work with families on recovery and release planning, where appropriate (and with prisoner’s permission)

Involve families in celebrating achievements in recovery, e.g. facilitating involvement in post Foundations of Rehabilitation graduations and providing copies of certificates of achievement if requested.

6. Mental and physical health

The healthcare provision at HMP Dovegate is provided by Care UK. Prisoners can expect to receive comparable levels of primary and secondary support and treatment as they would receive in the community. In-reach work with prisoners with mental health problems, supporting them towards improved mental health where possible. In-reach also work with, and support prisoners who are at risk of suicide and self-harm attending ACCT reviews and helping to develop support plans for those prisoners at risk. Every Prisoner that comes into custody will be offered the “well-being assessment” this is focussed on x5 areas; physical health, substance misuse, mental health, resettlement and reducing reoffending and relationships. This will be used as an opportunity to discuss families and network support around them.

Care UK have launched a Socrates app – this is for post release, as is downloaded onto a phone. Its main focus is primary care related, i.e. downloadable medical records and contact details for GP’s, gyms, etc. in the community, but does have areas within it for parenting and things such as that focussed on families.


We will review all patients currently working with the mental health team with a view to involving family members in cases where it would be beneficial to treatment and recovery.

In the event a prisoner is likely to be admitted to a secure hospital under the mental health act, consideration will be given to informing the Next of Kin

With consent and taking into account confidentiality issues, we will discuss with a family member diagnosis and treatment plan for a prisoner with a serious medical condition.

We will consider, in the case of serious ongoing medical treatment whether a family member can attend the external hospital

We will continue to inform next of kin in the event of a serious medical emergency and will consider appointing a family liaison officer.


We will continue to facilitate family attendance after a prisoner has been an inpatient for 5 days in NHS hospital.

The healthcare team will attend the family forum to allow families to discuss the healthcare provision at HMP Dovegate.

7. Education, Training and Employment

This pathway is managed by the education department and a number of different agencies and partners working together to offer opportunities for offenders to achieve qualifications and gain real

We will provide prisoners at HMP Dovegate the opportunity to obtain qualifications in a variety of academic and Vocational subjects. Employment support is primarily provided by Job Centre plus and CRC , supported by a number of other partners. The Education department currently works in collaboration with the Learning Resource Centre (LRC) to provide both educational and resettlement provisions and resources and is available to all prison -ers.

Specific objectives have been identified following a review of the 2017 needs analysis, in addition to this action plan a more comprehensive analysis can be sourced in the Self-Assessment Tool 2018 (SAR) and HMIP

The Library services are provided in house and provide books on parenting and other family related subjects, and also provide prisoners with the ability to record stories for their children through the provision of the Story Book Dad scheme.


To encourage prisoners to utilise the Art facilities to design and draw/paint pictures which prisoners can then send to their children.

To involve prisoners in the design and creation of art works for display in the visits hall, making the visits hall a brighter more family friendly environment.

To explore the possibility of delivering to prisoners parenting modules.

To explore the use of Virtual Campus

To continue to provide Story book Dad facilities. Encouraging prisoners to take up this valuable opportunity by promoting an understanding of the positive effect felt by a child after receiving a taped story from their ab -sent family member.

To explore the use of The Storytime Service (recorded and animated message)


Other significant teams within HMP Dovegate and their commitment to prisoner’s Children & Families in 2016.

1. National Probation Service/Offender Management Unit/CRC’s

HMP Dovegate recognises that Public Protection is one of the core functions of the prison service, HMPPS and the MOJ. Public Protection is at the forefront of all that we do and is the responsibility of all staff regardless of grade or position.

The OMU/NPS cultivate a collaborative, prison-wide approach to public protection. This approach is built on clear communication between all departments of the establishment as well as partner agencies.

This approach enables prisoners risk to be identified. Often this risk will be to children or named adults (who may be from the prisoner’s family). Those who pose the most significant risk will be managed through the MAPPA process.

Safeguarding of children is a priority and depending on the level of risk a prisoner poses to children, will determ -ine the level of contact they can have with children whilst at HMP Dovegate. The management of these restric-tions can involve mail and telephone PIN monitoring and monitoring of contact with children during visits.

The CRCs will work with prisoners of low and medium risk and have links in the community currently developing support for victims of domestic violence.

The levels of contact a prisoner at risk to children can have is detailed below:

Levels of Restrictions for Child Contact

Level One

Full restrictions apply. No contact with any child permitted. All correspondence and

telephone calls may be monitored subject to a risk assessment being carried out and

regularly reviewed.

Level Two

Contact permitted with named child only via written correspondence. All correspondence and telephone calls may be monitored subject to a risk assessment being carried out and regularly reviewed.

Level Thre

e

Contact permitted with named child only via written correspondence and telephone calls. Correspondence and telephone calls may be monitored subject to a risk assessment being carried out and regularly reviewed.

Level Four

No restrictions necessary, contact permitted with named child only via correspondence, telephone calls and visits. The prisoner may be allowed access to family visits with the permission of the Governing Governor following a further, individual risk assessment Routine monitoring of correspondence, telephone calls, and general observations in the visits area. This level of contact applies only to those children that the prisoner has per-mission to have contact with. All other children will be subject to Level One restrictions.



To invite input from families, where appropriate, in the sentence planning process. Subject to prisoners permission.

To attend the family forum to discuss the work of the OMU/NPS/CRC’s at HMP Dovegate.

The team will continue to arrange on request, family support for prisoners during parole hearings.

NPS will continue to undertake home visits for all high risk offenders on the day after release to assess family needs and potential risk to families/communities.

NPS will continue to liaise with Women’s safety workers, providing victim support for victims of Domestic violence whose partners are undertaking BBR on licence.

NPS will continue to develop existing links with the Social Services and raise with them any safeguarding concerns for families of prisoners.

CRC will continue to support and work with families in the community, who are also affected by domestic abuse

2. Safer Custody

For a variety of reasons, there are periods in a prisoner’s sentence when they can become a heightened risk of suicide and self-harm. Involvement and engagement with the prisoner’s family can be useful in helping to sup-port the prisoner through their crisis period.

At HMP Dovegate the Safer Custody team will, with the prisoners consent, invite contribution/attendance from families at ACCT reviews

The Safer Custody team also manage and monitor the Safeguard hotline for HMP Dovegate. This provides families/friends with the ability to speak to a member of the Safer Custody team or leave a message, about any prisoner they have safeguarding concerns about. Following receipt of this phone call, the Safer Custody team will provide all necessary support to the prisoner.


To continue to involve prisoners families in the ACCT process, when necessary and with the prisoners permission.

To attend the family forum to discuss with family members the Safer Custody role and the support they provide to the prisoners.

To re-launch and re-advertise the Safeguard hot line, to ensure families are aware of the number and its purpose. Following successful completion of the Listeners training, invite families to attend the award presentation, to allow families to share in the prisoner’s success. This is a joint venture with the Samaritans


3. Security and Operations

The Security and Operations group manage the visits function, including the visits hall and the processes for both prisoners and families using the visits hall.

The team manage the security of the area with a view to ensuring the safety and security of all those using the visits hall, including families, children, prisoners and staff.

The team to ensure the visitors centre process runs smoothly and families have a welcoming environment to relax in prior to the commencement of the visits.

The Security department also manage the pin phone monitoring system ensuring public protection monitoring takes place in line with the guidelines, protecting the public from unwanted contact from prisoners.


To explore the possibility of introducing evening visits to enhance the use of code club facilities

To expand the current children area and visits bungalow facilities.

To attend the visitors forum to discuss with family members the function of the Security department, the visits process and correspondence process.

To continue to provide advice and assistance to families regarding Assisted Prison Visits.

4. Reducing Re-offending

It is the role of the Reducing Re-offending team to co-ordinate and link with all the pathways and those partners involved in Resettlement.

Moving forward into 2019, the Children and Families pathway needs to be developed significantly. Partners and pathway leads should consider the impact on families and children of any changes/developments they plan to implement.

The Reducing Re-offending team will endeavour to raise the profile of the Children and Family pathway, co-ordinating the development and improvement of this pathway through the Reducing Re-Offending meetings and its related action plan



To ensure each pathway lead, in the Reducing Re-Offending meetings discuss their progress against the agreed development objectives in this document.

To invite prisoners families to attend the Prisoner Recognition Ceremonies. To complete an annual Prisoner Needs Analysis questionnaire with a section included on Children and Family’s needs.

To attend the Family forum to discuss Reducing re-offending issues with prisoners families.

To develop the prisoner exit survey to incorporate questions relevant to the Children’s and Families pathway

Care Leavers

HMP Dovegate is committed to identifying Care Leavers in Custody allowing us to provide support and guidance, helping them to realise their aspirations.

Our aim is to identify the responsible authority and nominated personal advisor for each care leaver. (Annexe B)

Encouraging the link between care leaver and personal advisor, enabling the opportunity to re-engage with the care leaver and assess what individual support needed, detailing all of this in the re-assessed pathway plan.

The Children and Social Work Act 2017 introduces seven corporate parenting principles to which local authorities must have regard which are;

1. To act in the best interests and promote the physical and mental health and well-being of relevant chil-dren and young people

2. To encourage those children and young people to express their views, wishes and feelings

3. To take into account the views, wishes and feelings of those children and young people

4. To help those children and young people gain access to and make best use of services provided by the local authority and its relevant partners

5. To promote high aspirations and seek to secure the best outcomes for those children and young people

6. To have regard for the need for those children and young people to be safe and have stability in their home lives, relationships and education or work

7. To prepare those children and young people for adulthood and independent living


A corporate parent is intended to carry out many of the roles a parent would. This is a responsibility by the local authority to care leavers as their corporate parents. They should provide the child they are responsible for with the best possible support and care. For care leavers this responsibility continues until their 21st birthday with this continuing until they are 25 should they want it. They are also able to ask for it at any point until they are 25.

Why the interest in care leavers?

Children and young people who have been involved in the care system experience some of the poorest outcomes of all young people in the UK.

It is estimated that approximately 70,000 children are looked after by local authorities in England and Wales at any one time. Although less than 1% of under 18s enter care annually, care leavers are estimated to make up 27% of the adult prison population (40% of young offenders). Care leavers are over represented in the criminal justice system and in custody. They often have poorer outcomes and are more likely to be reconvicted or breached when they leave custody. Their custodial behaviour is often poor and they have an increased risk of self-harm.

Who are Care Leavers?

A care leaver is someone who has spent time in the care of the local authority.

A care leaver’s eligibility for services from the local authority depends on factors such as the duration and timing of that care.

Eligible: young people aged 16 and 17 who have been looked after for at least 13 weeks since the age of 14 and are still being looked after.

Relevant: young people aged 16 and 17 who have already left care and who have been looked after for at least 13 weeks since the age of 14 including on their 16th birthday.

Former Relevant: young people aged between 18 – 21 who have been either eligible and/or relevant children in care either through a compulsory care order or remanded or accommodated by voluntary agreement including accommodation under section 20 of the Children Act. If, at the age of 21, the young person is still being helped by the responsible authority with education or training, then he or she remains a former relevant child’ Young people who go back to education or training under the age of 25 are also entitled to having their pathway plans switched back on and will be entitled to services as a ‘former relevant’ young person.

Qualifying: young people (age 18 to 25) who leave care after the age of 16 but who are not eligible or relevant be -cause they did not fulfil the 13 week criteria

Effective Working Relationships

HMP Dovegate is dedicated in Developing an Effective Working Relationship with the Responsible Authority (Annexe A)

If the individual is assessed by the Care leaver champion to be a Former Relevant Child and wishes to receive leav-ing care support we should expect the Responsible Authority to ensure that the individual is provided with:


A Personal Adviser- the details of whom should be recorded on Delius alongside other details of the young adult’s care leaver status

An up to date Pathway Plan

Contingency provision for support in the event of a crisis when released (including respite care where appropriate).

If the young adult is not a Former Relevant Child but qualifies for ‘Advice and Assistance’ you should work with the Local Authority to establish what is or could be provided.

Care Leavers Group

HMP Dovegate will aim to develop a Care Leavers Support Group that will be held quarterly.

These meetings will offer the opportunity for the care leavers to discuss issues that may impact one another allowing the group to work out ways to deal with these issues in a positive way rather than negative or self-destructive way.

These meetings can help to raise awareness of opportunities and entitlements for care leavers allowing the men to share their life experiences and knowledge with others that have had similar experiences enabling them to sup-port one another in a safe environment.

Communication

Care leavers information sheet (Annexe B) attached to questionnaire (Annexe C) – The back page of the care leaver’s questionnaire is designed to be removed and kept by the care leaver providing them with a detailed entitlement summary and contact details for the care leavers association.

Notice Boards – Notice boards will provide information fact sheets regarding entitlements and support


Annex A

Family Support Worker

HMP Dovegate

Uttoxeter

Staffordshire

St14 8XR

Date:

For the Attention of the Duty Manager / Personal Advisor

RE:…………………………………..

I am writing regarding the above prisoner who is currently located at HMP Dovegate. You have been identified as the Personal Advisor for this person.

I would therefore like to offer you the opportunity to visit…………………..here at HMP Dovegate and undertake an Initial Assessment of their needs.

You will then be able to identify what services your department are able to offer or which services in your area would best meet his needs.

Please contact me on ……………………………… or alternatively at……………………[email protected]

Yours sincerely

Family Support Worker

HMP Dovegate


Annex B

Care leavers questionnaire

To be completed by the Family Support Worker/CRC for all new receptions within 10 days of arrival at Dovegate.

Name Number

D.O.B Age

1. Have you ever spent time in local authority care? YES / NO

2. How old were you when you went into care?

3. Were you in care on your 16th Birthday? YES / NO

4. Do you know the name of your last social worker and / or leaving care worker?

This is the person who was there to support you when you were no longer in the children’s home or foster placement – sometimes called “personal Ad -visors”


5. Which area was this in / what local authority?

Should the care leaver supply this information, you as the offender supervisor need to contact the local authority, making them aware that this person is in custody and is seeking their help and support?

6. Where was the last place you were in Local Authority care?

7.If you have lived in care in more than one area do you remember when and where?

Should all of the above fail you will need to work backwards from the last known placement area in search of the responsible authority.

Authority to make contact on behalf of the care leaver:-

I (full name and prison number)

Once completed, please return to the Family Support Worker who will liaise with the CRC or your Offender

Supervisor

Annex C

Care leavers information sheetWhilst in custody at Dovegate you will be fully supported by the Family Support Worker, your Keyworker and the CRC or Offender management team. We will advise you of your rights and entitlements under law and as-sist you in contacting the local Authority responsible.

As a care leaver you will fall into one of the following categories:-

Status prior to coming

into custody

Status during

custody

Entitlement summary

18 – 21 years old Care leaver former relevant children are entitled to :

Be kept in touch with and expect the local

Authority to re –establish contact once in

custody if contact had failed prior to cus-tody.

Keep their pathway plan under review.


Continue with the appointment of the

personal advisor in their welfare requires it, provide financial assistance in pursuit of education and training.

Pay a higher education bursary in the pursuit of higher education in accordance with their pathway plan.

21 – 25 years old

Continues to be a former relevant child

if in education or training.

Care leaver

Relevant student

The children’s ACT 1989

Guidance and

regulations volume 3:

Planning transition to

adulthood for care leav-ers – refer to the relevant paragraphs at 3.48 to 3.55

Section 23CA of the 1989 Act requires that, a young person previously eligible for leaving care services resuming programmes of education or training after the age of 21 are entitled to continuing support from a (personal advisor) allocated from their responsible local authority.

In this context, the definition of a programme of education must be interpreted broadly. For example, this might include options such as:

The completion of a basic skills course, so that a young person has the numeracy and literacy skills needed to compete in the jobs market.

Take up a course of further education.

Take up of a university place.

Support to enable the young person to complete a recognised postgraduate qualification.

The care leavers association can be contacted in the following ways:-

By telephone – 0161 236 1980 By Mail – CLA, Clarendon House, 5 th Floor, 81 Mosley Street, Manchester, M2 3LQ.

Annex D

(NEW) Equality Analysis Form

An Equality Analysis starts at the beginning of and is part of project or policy development, consistent with the ap-proach outlined in AI 14/2016 PSI 20/2016 PI 19/2016. The ‘checklist’ below is a way to capture the audit trail and provides some reminders of what should be considered, throughout the development of the project. Equality Analysis is about taking every opportunity to embed equality into the project or policy. This will improve its qual -ity, partly through identifying and mitigating risks; including the potential for bias, unconscious or otherwise. By populating the fields below, you can show how you have achieved this.

Name of Policy / Project, Practice or Procedure under development (hereafter called ‘product’)


Children, Family, Care Leavers and Significant Other Strategy

Brief description of the planned product

To update the Family provision and interventions and to include the findings and recommendations of the Lord Farmer Review

Equality Analysis Lead: The person leading on the product

Emma Taylor, Head of Reducing Reoffending or Misbah Gulzar, Equalities Manager

Start Date

What are the high level equality objective/s (positive opportunities) associated with your product? How will you ensure that your project is included to all those affected? What are the risks, including risk of bias?

The aim of the document is inclusivity and to identify and work with all groups and Faiths and to recognise the recommendations of the Lord Farmers Review. It is also aimed at Carers, Care Leavers and those who do not have any next of kin and those not expecting visits at HMP Dovegate. There is low risk of bias to -wards any identified group characteristic and this will be reviewed and monitored through the pathway meeting and also through Family Forums, Prisoner Consultative meetings, surveys and the Reducing Re-offending Strategy meeting. There are no risks as we aim to use the document to support all Protected Characteristic groups.

First steps: Identify when in the project you will consider, plan and discuss the equality opportunities as-sociated with your proposed product.

K Date

This was identified at the outset and the Lord Farmers Review has focused the attention of this policy

April 2018


Ongoing record: Key dates when equality was considered and actions taken as a result

Cont Context: Date:

To review the strategy and incorporate the recommendations of the Lord Farmers Review that aims to support and identify those who fall within the Protected Characteristic Groups

May 2018

Action / Owner:

Cont Context: Date:

Acti Action/ Owner:

Internal sources of information:i

Prisoner Consultative Meetings, Family Pathway and Reducing Reoffending Strategy Meetings, Safer Cus-tody, Family Day Feedback evaluations, Public Protection, LSS


External sources of information:

Lord Farmers Review, The Children and Social Work Act 2017, The Prison Safety and Reform White Paper

Summarise here the general ways you have embedded equality and inclusion into your product in order to make sure it is suitable or as relevant as possible. This will include how you have addressed the poten -tial for bias:

The potential for bias was addressed through the findings and recommendations of the Lord Farmers review that identified isolated groups that required more support through the prison sentence.

The policy will offer all services to all prisoners without exception and in accordance with Public Protection and the Local Security Strategy

The nine characteristics protected under the Equality Act 2010 are below. Your product may be relevant to all of them. Use these sections to evidence how you have considered, promoted or otherwise advanced your product with reference to any of them.

1. Age

There are no age restrictions identified within the policy as we provide support for parents and grandpar -ents. We also provide for Care Leavers by identifying their age and how long they were in care before linking them up with the appropriate agencies.

2. Disability

Any prisoner with a disability will be provided with the same benefits and opportunities as any other pris-oner within the establishment


3. Gender Reassignment

All prisoners will be able to access all services within this document regardless of their gender

4. Marriage and Civil Partnership

The strategy encourages family ties and the strengthening of family relationships whilst in prison. HMP Dovegate will facilitate this opportunity

5. Pregnancy and Maternity

This is not relevant to the new strategy although one of the aims is to improve parenting skills which is facil -itated through this strategy

6. Race

The race of any prisoner is irrelevant in terms of him having full access to the provisions, interventions and facilities on offer. In terms of signage we will monitor to see if we require translated versions through the Prisoner Consultative process

7. Religion or Belief

The strategy is based on all faiths having this provision and we intend to introduce Faith Awareness for Keyworkers to support the process

8. Sex

No group will be marginalised as the documents intention is to ensure that the family and significant other strategy is threaded through the resettlement pathways

9. Sexual Orientation

No group will be marginalised as the documents intention is to ensure that the family and significant other strategy is threaded through the resettlement pathways

How have you considered the Welsh Language Act 2010 in relation to the product and in accordance with the NOMS Welsh Language Scheme?

Yes – use of translators and language line if required


Annex E

Available support/information for Children and families and professionals working with them

Action for Prisoners’ Families www.prisonersfamilies.org.uk – Action for Prisoners’ Families, works for the benefit of prisoners' and offenders' families by representing the views of families and those who work with them.

AFFECT – AFFECT provides services for the families of serious offenders and offers support groups to fam-ilies in the south of England. www.affect.org.uk

First time in Prison – www.firsttimeinprison.co.uk this website was written by lawyers for individuals (and families) who are facing a first prison sentence.

Inside Time – www.insidetime.org.uk – this website gives visiting and other advice


Pact (Prison Advice and Care Trust) – www.prisonadvice.org.uk provides useful information on visiting and how visitors’ centres can help families.

Prisoners’ Family Voices is a web-based community which gives family members the opportunity to talk to each other.

http://prisonersfamiliesvoices.blogspot.com

Offenders’ Families Helpline 0808 808 2003 [email protected]

www.prisonersfamilieshelpline.org.uk

Prisoners’ Families and Friends Service 0808 808 3444 [email protected]

www.pffs.org.uk

SHARP (Support Help and Advice for Relatives of Prisoners) 01743 245365 for free


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