1. How EDP works with prisoners families
Family Support Work
How EDP works with prisoners families

2. EDP aims to improve the health, wellbeing and employability of individuals and their families affected by substance misuse, mental health issues, and other harmful addictive and offending behaviour.
A fundamental belief underpinning our work is that, given the right support and resources, people can and do make remarkable changes

3. FSW Job Role at edp
The aim for EDP’s Family support Workers within prisons is to help prisoners, who are misusing substances and who are engaging with the Substance Misuse Team to live fulfilling, law abiding lives whilst promoting and encouraging recovery, through the development of appropriate family* relationships for motivation and support. .
The Family Support Worker’s role is to ensure that prisoners and their families are offered practical and emotional support. Some prisoners may feel they do not have the skills or knowledge to ensure their relationships are as functional as possible.
All work completed is done through partnership working with the prisoner and family, the prisoner will take the lead on the work, i.e. the worker will not undertake tasks for the family, but encourage them to problem solve by giving advice or signposting them to relevant agencies and voluntary organisations. This family lead centred approach encourages the family to enable themselves to become a sustainable family* unit during the prisoners planned recovery, release from custody and family life.
*This can be either a parent, child, sibling, extended family or a significant other who has or have a significant impact on the individuals life

4. I have included this quote in here as it highlights the strength that our human connections can have on ability to deal with stresses and overcome our own individual barriers in life. The quote comes from a writer who…

5. Why we work with prisoners and their families
The aim is to reduce the chance of relapse of re-offending by strengthened family relationships
to end their offending behaviour, and
People come to prison for a variety
variety of reasons why people decide
of reasons. Equally, there are a
substance misuse.
The majority of prisoners report
their priorities are their families
and/or partners.
Support in setting achievable and clear expectations of
family life
Promoting recovery by keeping the
family ties.

6. EDP family Workers in the prison estate
HMP Channings Wood, Devon
HMP Dartmoor, Devon
HMP Exeter, Devon
HMP Guys Marsh, Dorset
HMP/YOI Portland, Dorset
EDP work in partnership with Dorset Healthcare to provide recovery orientated Substance Misuse Services in 5 of the South West regions prisons
HMP Channings Wood, Devon
HMP Dartmoor, Devon
HMP Exeter, Devon
HMP Guys Marsh, Dorset
HMP/YOI Portland, Dorset
Within each establishment FSW is the same but also slightly different. In Remand prisons like Exeter, there can be a fast turn over of prisoners at. Some prisoner will be a on a short stay, while they awaiting a trail or sentencing. So as fast as work can start here, it can stop. However, Exeter is also key for its support in working with families when a prisoner first comes to prison. Not only in supporting the family understand the situation, but also in helping the prisoner start to look at continuing to maintain family ties.
In a resettlement prison like Channing Wood, focus can be more aimed at the prisoner returning to the family. Making sure that agencies are aware of the prisoner release
In a longer stay prison such as Dartmoor, I find that the majority of my referrals are for people who need to maintain relationships during their sentence or who would like to start looking at rebuilding their relationships. Often relationships have broken down due to substance misuse, crime or time apart.

7. believes that their risk of re-offending will reduce if their
Who can we help
When a prisoner
believes that their risk of re-offending will reduce if their
family relationships
can be improved.
Family is
struggling with
their loved one being in prison, wants to part of the recovery plan or needs reassurance
of what is happening
and planned for the
prisoner’s release.
family or limited contact with family.
Poor/strained relations with
Consent from the prisoner to
engage with FSW.
Verbal consent from family* and
willingness to engage.
Prisoner is allowed contact with
family* and it is appropriate to do so.
The prisoner has no restrictions in
Relation to contact with children.

8. How we offer this support
Family Assessment and social support network mapping
Structured
Work
1 to 1
Awareness groups
Signposting
Informal Advice
Multi-Agency working
Direct Family
Contact
So how do we offer this support to families?
1:1 structured work

9. So what can the FSW practically do when working with the prisoner and their family*?
Will work with both the prisoner and the family in a family centred and lead approach
Strength based
Family relationship development and resilience
Emotional stability and sustainability
Build family confidence and self-esteem
Advice, signposting and referrals on family issues.
Group Work/workshops
Multi-agency approach

10. Challenges Time Proximity Prisoner and families previous experience
Stigma and isolation
Changing population
Knowing local services for families
Services understanding our role
Prisoners and families not know how to help
Firstly we are dealing with what would be considered some of the most at risk type of families
-lone parents
-families in poverty and workless households
-parents with drug and alcohol problems
-families with a parent involved in criminal activity or in prison.
Time both us and families. Pressures on families.
Proximity – some of the prisoners families will not live near
Prisoner and families previous experience – prisoners previous experience feeling undervalued or unwelcome. Prisoners reporting of officers can impact on how the families view all prison staff.
Stigma and isolation
Changing population
Knowing local services for families
Services understanding our role

11. Overcoming these Time Proximity
Prisoner and families previous experience
Stigma and isolation
Changing population
Knowing local services for families
Services understanding our role
Prisoners and families not know how to help

12. FSW and the prison community
EDP working alongside visits providers
EDP support continued training for staff
Continue to promote services within the prison to prisoners and their families
Attend Family Days and visits centre to encourage professional relationship building
Encourage continued multi-agency working