Prison Family Support works alongside public protection with prisoners at HMP Lewes to facilitate their involvement with their children who are in care proceedings or subject to adoption or are looked after children by working with the prisoners and external agencies to enhance the wellbeing of the child by giving their father an opportunity to be engaged in their lives despite being in prison. With the experience of the child at the forefront, Prison Family Support also provide activity packs and craft resources to dads in custody to send to their children / family member and to their children to send to their father / family member. Additionally, Prison Family Support facilitates photos in exceptional circumstances for prisoners with their child or family member. The child or family member can take a photo of the prisoner and child / family member home. This enables the prisoner to maintain their place in their family despite imprisonment and gives a sense of belonging and connection for both the prisoner and the child / family member. Photos can also be taken for memory boxes in cases of adoption and for memories if a family member is visiting for the last time. The service is also in the process of creating a play workshop in partnership with prison Education and the library in support of the HMPPS Reading Strategy to support positive communication, confidence in reading and ‘learning to play’ for the men who not only have no experience of playing with their children before being in custody but also had limited play experience as a child themselves. Future developments of the service include: School and Children Services awareness - Outreach to teachers and social workers giving information about the processes of visiting a prison and the facilities available for children in a prison, Leaflets and information about how important maintaining contact (if appropriate), is for children when a parent is in prison. Working in partnership with Sussex Prisoners’ Families to promote awareness. Producing worksheets that can be used by teachers to work with children who are impacted by imprisonment. Arranging visits for professionals to come into the prison to experience the visit process so they would be in a good position to support the children. Workbooks, 1:1’s and group work in Conflict resolution - Creating a resource to support and inform prisoners who struggle with conflict in relationships, with authority and at home to learn about conflict resolution and positive communication. - Go Back -

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PRISON FAMILY SUPPORT CIC - Registered Company number 1444553