On 28 February 2018 Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service the Ministry of Justice and Third sector partners hosted the first National Family and Significant Other Conference, at the Prison Service College; Newbold Revel.
The purpose of the conference was to assist prison Governors and family leaders to develop local Family Strategies.
Governors and Directors of all establishments in England and Wales were invited to attend, key colleagues from partner agencies that provide family support services and others that have an interest in this agenda.
Keynote speeches were delivered by Lord Michael Farmer, Chair of the review on the ‘Importance of Strengthening Prisoners Family Ties to Prevent Reoffending and Reduce Intergenerational Crime’; beneficiaries of services to visitors, specialist theme leads such as Care Leavers and Women in prison.
The event ended with an endorsing speech by Phil Copple, Executive Director of Prisons, Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Services with his expectations for family and significant other services to be imbedded.
(The text of this speech is attached below)
The topics discussed and their speakers were:
Sharing good practice and the launch of the revised i-HOP website:
Polly Wright - Children’s Services Manager for Barnardo’s
Development of innovative practice in a sensitive public protection environment:
Lynn Saunders – Governor, HMP Whatton
Developing mutually beneficial links with schools, businesses and other local bodies:
Corin Morgan-Armstrong - Head of Family Interventions, Custody and Community, HMP Parc
Identifying and supporting care leavers in custody:
Teresa Clarke HMPPS - Director of Midlands Prisons
Working with a new family service provider in the female estate:
Carlene Dixon Governor - HMP Send
Family learning:
Michael Brown & Charlotte Weinberg (Executive Director) - Safe Ground
Gateway communications:
Andy Keen-Downs - Chief Executive of Pact
Visitor centres & visiting services:
Polly Wright & Lee Stephenson – Project Director at Jigsaw
Extended/family visits:
Christina Hall - Director of Operations at Lincolnshire Action Trust
There were also two very powerful presentations from service users, now working with POPs
Despite the ‘Beast from the East’ joining in on the day with snow and high winds, the conference was both well attended and received, with some positive feedback from participants.
Families group lead Richard Booty :
‘We set out to create an opportunity for establishments and their partners to get together and share good practice in order to support the implementation of family provisions from April 2018. It was great to hear of so much good practice and also to hear from service users to underline how important effective work is in this area’.
Attached below are the conference presentation slides, speakers details and feedback from participants.
