"The helpline helped me avoid all the drama and anger."
Families with loved ones in custody and prison can struggle greatly. Often, families are unaware that there are organisations to support them.
When a crime is committed, the focus is understandably on the perpetrator and victim.
However, what can be forgotten is that families with a loved one in custody and prison face considerable struggles.
Families, both adults and children, are forced to navigate a new reality. They can face significant financial, emotional, socio-cultural and health challenges on the outside.
Accordingly, families are referred to as “the silent victims on the outside” and children as “hidden victims”.
Moreover, families often do not understand the criminal justice system (CJS), its procedures, and its policies.
Sumera*, a 50-year-old British Pakistani whose husband was arrested for drug-related offences, stated:
“During the arrest and court, we had no clue what was going on.
“We didn’t understand anything. Wish I’d known where to get help and had someone to explain it all to me.”
Prisoner families, also known as offender families, require support services to help them navigate their new lives and the CJS in addition to needing help in comprehending procedures and policies.
DESIblitz highlights seven UK-based organisations that provide vital support services to families impacted by the arrest and imprisonment of a loved one.
Prison Advice and Care Trust (PACT)
Prison Advice and Care Trust (PACT) is a charity that has supported people in prison and their families for over 125 years.
Founded in 1898, PACT aims to reduce the harm caused by imprisonment to offenders and their families.
PACT supports prisoners’ families by providing practical and emotional assistance. They provide support within prisons via the family visitor centres.
Services also include family engagement services, relationship courses, and mentoring for children of prisoners.
Moreover, PACT has run projects to strengthen family ties and provided vital helpline support.
PACT stresses that the outcomes of their work are “safer prisons”, “stable families that stay together” and “less reoffending and safer communities”.
Like each organisation in this list, PACT advocates for families and children impacted by the CJS.
More information on PACT can be found here.
Prisoners’ Families Helpline
Prisoners’ Families Helpline offers confidential support and advice via phone, website and email.
The helpline provides advice and information on all aspects of the justice system. It covers what happens when a loved one is arrested, visiting a prison, and preparing for release.
Highly trained and skilled staff and volunteers with professional and personal experience in the CJS make up the team.
Sumera*, a British Pakistani whose brother was in prison, used the services and told DESIblitz:
“When I was stressing bad, the helpline was amazing, they helped me get the numbers I needed.”
“The online safeguarding form you can fill out for some prisons is amazing. It meant I got my worries and any issues to the right person, like in Winson Green [HMP Birmingham].
“In the past, too much running around on the phone would get headaches. It was like pulling teeth with the prison.
“I got frustrated and angry, and I’m sure it was the same for some staff I spoke to after the hundredth phone call.
“The helpline helped me avoid all the drama and anger.”
Please find out more information about the organisation here.
Himaya Haven CIC
Himaya Haven CIC is a leading Birmingham-based organisation that specialises in supporting families with loved ones in custody and prison.
The organisation supports all families and specialises in supporting those from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic Communities (BAME).
Himaya Haven Director Tahmeena Suhail told DESIblitz:
“Himaya Haven services are important because there was a gap. A gap Himaya Haven fills.
“We provide a niche and culturally sensitive service.”
“The majority of service users come from the Kashmiri Pakistani community; this matters. These groups’ needs were not being met by any service providers.”
The mission is to provide a range of culturally sensitive services in a holistic manner, to meet individuals’ and family members’ needs.
Moreover, the organisation stresses that families should be able to access appropriate and timely support from the point of arrest to the point of release.
Himaya Haven also undertakes initiatives to support the community and enable offender families to feel a sense of belonging.
For example, the organisation has hosted community events and provided families with urgently needed food hampers.
Find out more about Himaya Haven CIC here.
Partners of Prisoners (POPS)
Offender families established Partners of Prisoners (POPS) for other offender families.
The charity began as a peer support group for prisoners’ families, founded by Farida Anderson MBE in 1988.
POPS’s focus was on supporting families to cope with the stress, isolation and stigma of being labelled ‘guilty by association’.
Anderson was herself supporting her partner through a custodial sentence. Recognising that there was no formal support for prisoners’ relatives:
“It was about 20 years ago when I found myself in an impossible position after my husband was given a prison sentence.
“I did not know what to do, who to tell or where to turn to for help.”
“I put an advert in the local paper and set up a self-help group for myself and other families who were trying to support someone in prison.”
In addition to providing essential emotional and practical support to families, the charity also provides training.
POPS provides a range of workshops designed to raise awareness, “promote effective inter-agency working, and improve service delivery.”
See more about POPS and their work here.
Children Heard and Seen
Children Heard and Seen, established in 2014, aims to mitigate the effects of parental imprisonment on children.
The organisation’s founder, Sarah Burrows, said:
“Children of prisoners are isolated, often play dates stop or being invited to other children’s parties.
“They are punished even though they haven’t done anything wrong.”
“There may be whispers, gossip, or even bullying. The huge impact on their lives can affect them emotionally.”
Children Heard and Seen tailor support and interventions to the individual needs of children and their families.
Mentoring, holiday activities, and group support sessions also take place.
They offer one-on-one support, family activities, and advocacy for affected children.
In 2020, the organisation won the Criminal Justice Alliance Award and was recognised for outstanding support of the local community.
Discover more information about the organisation here.
The Ebb Leicester
The Ebb Leicester is an organisation that supports families impacted by prison within the Leicestershire area.
John Lewis, Coordinator at the organisation, told DESIblitz:
“The Ebb Leicester was founded in September 2017 when a small group of us became aware that there was not a support group for the families of prisoners in Leicester.”
John stated that the team’s research found “no government agency/statutory body tasked with identifying” those impacted and needing support.
In turn, they found an urgent need for Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) organisations to “plug the gaps”.
A consequence of the lack of nationwide structural support for families impacted by the arrest and imprisonment of a loved one is significant.
John told DESIblitz: “Nationally, there was a patchwork of provision. There was an excellent service in Lincoln, but in Leicester, there was nothing.”
The organisation offers three tiers of support.
Firstly, information support and signposting. Stressing the need to work with others to support those in need organisation has developed a robust network of partners across the city.
Therefore, the organisation can signpost those in need to specialists. Specialists who can, for example, help with navigating benefits, housing systems, and the immigration system.
The second tier of help focuses on emotional support and advocacy.
John stressed: “It is important to state it is not all about the imprisonment.
“Many of the families we support have multiple issues, including health-related issues, and have been deeply affected by the cost of living crisis.”
The third tier of support focuses on peer support, mentoring and befriending. There is also a programme ‘Ray of Hope’ for prison leavers.
See more information here.
Families Outside
Families Outside, established in 1991, is a national charity supporting families in Scotland.
They provide a confidential helpline, family support, and advocacy services.
The helpline covers topics such as visiting prisons, understanding the criminal justice system, and coping strategies.
Moreover, Families Outside provide resources to help families cope with the emotional and practical challenges of imprisonment.
In turn, the organisation offers professional training and runs family support hubs.
The organisation advocates for the rights and needs of families affected by imprisonment.
They work with policymakers, prison staff, and other agencies to influence change and improve conditions for these families.
Families Outside’s comprehensive services, advocacy efforts, and dedication to improving families’ lives make them an invaluable resource.
Find out more about the work of Families Outside here.
Families Navigating the Criminal Justice System
These seven non-profit organisations are working tirelessly to do all they can to provide vital frontline support.
Each organisation provides practical assistance, emotional support, and advocacy services. Their efforts are crucial in ensuring that families stay connected and supported through challenging times.
However, if families are to thrive, there needs to be explicit recognition of families of prisoners and their needs in society as a whole.
Such recognition must manifest in developing nationwide statutory support for families and children.
The pressure should not just be on third-sector organisations to fill the gaps.
John Lewis from The Ebb Leicester maintained:
“We need to create “Areas of Excellence” in support of the families of prisoners in every county.
“In Leicestershire, we have the Families Affected by Imprisonment Project. We need to build on that and replicate it in Derby, Nottingham, etc.
“I was excited to note that the Labour Party’s manifesto included a pledge to develop a mechanism to identify children affected by parental imprisonment.
“That pledge needs to be fulfilled […]”
Families and children impacted by arrest and imprisonment should not suffer in silence. Help is available and needs to be highlighted.
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