Support for families of prisoners

More children are affected by the imprisonment of a parent than by divorce. We have lots of ways to support families of prisoners in Essex.

We have support services we run through our unique Prison Links in Essex project within our children’s centres for families of under fives. Click here to find out more.

Our Time for Children and Young People in Essex team will help children and young people aged between 5 and 16 years. We do this through one-to-one work in homes and schools, or in group work at different times of the year when the children and young people can share their experiences. We also work with teachers and professionals to help them understand the emotions, stresses and traumas of living with a parent in prison. Click here to find out more.

We also provide support for families visiting HMP Chelmsford. We organise regular children’s visits so children can play and visit with their dad in a more relaxed and family-friendly setting. We also provide family liaison between prisoners and their families, and we run an accredited parenting course for fathers in prison. Click here to find out more about our work at HMP Chelmsford.