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Pact - Prison Advice & Care Trust

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Pact - Prison Advice & Care Trust

Pact (Prison Advice and Care Trust) is a charity that helps UK prisoners and their families. Call the Prisoners' Families Helpline on 0808 808 2003.

04/10/2026

🗣️ Help make probation services work better for the people who rely on them.

We're recruiting two Lived Experience Engagement Coordinators in the South West.

These roles are all about making sure people on probation are heard, and that their experiences help shape real improvements. You'll bring people together, facilitate conversations, listen to what's working and what needs to change, and work with probation services to turn feedback into action.

Most importantly, you'll help build a system that works better for everyone.

💡 You don't need to have done this exact job before.

If you've built trust with people, supported groups, organised projects, listened to different perspectives and helped make things happen, we'd love to hear from you.

We particularly encourage applications from people whose experiences give them insight into the challenges faced by those involved in the criminal justice system, including people with lived experience.

Why apply?
✅ Meaningful work with real impact
✅ Help shape an innovative new service
✅ Influence how participation happens across probation
✅ Supportive team and training provided

Please share with anyone who could make a difference in this role, especially those who might not immediately think it's for them.

🔗 https://pact.livevacancies.co.uk/ #/job/details/2060?target=frame

02/10/2026

"It can be difficult to see what people go through. Families are left to pick up the pieces. So we gently let them know we are here to support in any way we can.

"People often come to us afterwards and let us know how grateful they are for our help, regardless of which way the verdict went. Sometimes they don't realise they even needed support until the trial is over, because they've been in survival mode."

Joseph is one of hundreds of Pact volunteers who support people affected by the justice system through some of the most challenging times in their lives.

Whether they're welcoming families in prison visitors' centres, supporting people at court, helping children enjoy family days, or visiting someone in prison who needs somebody to talk to, our volunteers make a real difference every day.

🔎 We're currently looking for new volunteers in a range of roles, including at Maidstone Crown Court.

Read Joseph's story and find out more about volunteering with Pact.

https://www.prisonadvice.org.uk/stories/josephs-story-supporting-families-through-the-court-process/

01/10/2026

Today (1 October), changes under the Sentencing Act begin to take effect.

Pact has supported these releases because without action, prisons were once again running dangerously close to capacity.

But today's releases buy time: they are not a solution.

What happens next matters. We need a long-term plan that tackles rising recall rates and helps people leaving prison build better lives.

That means proper support with things like housing, family relationships and resettlement, alongside a prison system that can genuinely rehabilitate rather than simply contain.

That's how we prevent future victims, reduce pressure on prisons and build a justice system that works for everyone.

🔭 Read our CEO Andy Keen-Downs' full blog here: prisonadvice.org.uk/october-prison-releases/

29/09/2026

Everyone who wants to visit a loved one in prison should be able to. But we know that for some neurodiverse visitors, or parents of neurodiverse children, it can feel impossible.

We worked with KeyRing to create a guide – available as text or video – to help neurodiverse people and their families feel prepared, informed, and confident when attending a visit. The guide covers:

👮 What happens during security checks
❓️ What the visit space is like
🔊 Things that might feel loud, bright, or busy
👐 What support the prison might offer and how to ask for changes to make your visit easier

We’ve also developed resources and training for Pact staff to help us support our neurodiverse visitors more effectively.

Together, we can help make prison visits more inclusive, understanding, and supportive for everyone.

🔗 Check out the guide: https://www.prisonadvice.org.uk/guide-for-neurodivergent-visitors/

22/09/2026

Fae was just 14 months old when her parents went to prison.

She didn't learn what had happened until she was nine years old. Alongside the truth came another message: never speak about it again. It was shameful.

Like many children with a parent in prison, Fae was burdened with a sentence that wasn't hers. But life could have been so different if she and her family had had the support they deserved.

Today, as a Pact Young Ambassador, she's telling her story - and calling for change. Her experiences shaped our new report, released last week, which calls on the Welsh government to end the invisibility of children affected by parental imprisonment.

✊ Read Fae's story: https://www.prisonadvice.org.uk/stories/faes-story-what-i-wish-adults-had-understood-when-my-parents-went-to-prison/

📰 And the report: https://www.prisonadvice.org.uk/latest/news/new-joint-report-calls-on-welsh-government-to-end-the-invisibility-of-children-affected-by-parental-imprisonment/

15/09/2026

📣 NEW REPORT: Today we've published a joint report with Children’s Legal Centre Wales calling for urgent action to identify and support children affected by parental imprisonment in Wales.

An estimated 5,000 children in Wales have a parent in prison at any one time, yet there is currently no routine mechanism to identify these children or ensure they receive support.

Our report argues that this is not simply a service gap. Wales has built a strong framework around children's rights, wellbeing and prevention. But children affected by parental imprisonment remain largely invisible within it. This is arguably a live compliance issue under Welsh law, and Wales has both an opportunity and a responsibility to act.

The report is particularly timely given new Ministry of Justice analysis showing that four of the ten local authority areas with the highest proportion of known children affected by imprisonment are in Wales.

As Fae*, one of Pact's Young Ambassadors in Wales, told us: "I was just a child. I wanted the same things as everyone else. I wanted friends. I wanted to laugh, play and feel like I belonged."

Children with a parent in prison shouldn't have to rely on chance to be noticed and supported.

📖 Read the report: https://www.prisonadvice.org.uk/children-of-prisoners-wales-report/

09/09/2026

📣 Family relationships should not be used as punishment.

Last month Pact coordinated a joint letter to the Prisons Minister, bringing together leaders from across the criminal justice sector to challenge plans to restrict family visits as a disciplinary sanction in prison.

We spoke out because the evidence is clear: strong family relationships support wellbeing, encourage positive behaviour in prison and reduce the risk of reoffending after release. Put simply, family relationships are one of the most effective tools we have for rehabilitation. Just as importantly, loved ones should not be punished for someone else's mistakes.

Alongside organisations including the Prison Reform Trust, Howard League for Penal Reform, St Giles, Nacro, Unlock and Clinks, we argued that family relationships should not be treated as a disciplinary tool.

The Government has now confirmed that the policy will go ahead. However, important safeguards have been included.

✅ Visits involving a prisoner's children under 18 and an accompanying adult are protected.

✅ HMPPS has said there will be a very high threshold for using these sanctions, reserved for severe and persistent rule-breaking.

While our concerns about the principle remain, these safeguards matter.

The real test now is how the policy is implemented in practice, and we'll be following that closely.

📰 Read a full update from our CEO Andy Keen-Downs CBE: http://prisonadvice.org.uk/family-visits-joint-letter-2026

08/09/2026

We're delighted to see family services at HMP High Down recognised by HM Inspectorate of Prisons as Notable Positive Practice.

HMIP recognised a number of ways Pact supports people in prison and their families at HMP High Down, including:

➡️ Practical support helping prisoners reconnect with family members.

➡️ Parenting programmes delivered in partnership with Sutton Council.

➡️ A homework club and themed family sessions.

➡️ Actively seeking and acting on feedback from visitors.

Relationships can be difficult to maintain during a prison sentence. From helping someone reconnect with family members to supporting parents to stay involved in their children's lives, family services help keep important connections alive, providing the foundations for a better life after release.

Thank you to our fantastic staff, volunteers and partners who help make this work possible every day.

Source: HM Inspectorate of Prisons, HMP High Down (2026)

06/09/2026

We talk a lot about the training and support we offer to help schools better support children with a parent in prison. But what difference does that make in practice?

🎤 We thought we'd hand over to Esther, a Family Support Worker who attended one of Pact's educational forums, to explain the difference it's made in her schools.

"When I first heard about Pact's educational forums, we only knew of a small number of families in our six schools who might be affected by the criminal justice system. But one of the first things I learned was that there is no routine system for informing schools that a child has a parent in prison. Unless a family tells us directly, we may have no idea what they are coping with.

Visiting the prison was incredibly informative. We heard from Pact staff, prison officers and other professionals working inside the prison, and learned about the practical challenges families face, including the fact that many people are held a long way from home, making visits difficult and exhausting.

What the forum gave me was a broader understanding of what might sit behind changes in a child's behaviour, attendance or wellbeing. It isn't about making assumptions. It's about helping us listen more carefully and create an environment where children feel safe and heard.

Most importantly, it gave me confidence. I now know where to turn for advice and support, and how to make sure children don't face difficult experiences alone."

Read Esther's full blog: https://www.prisonadvice.org.uk/latest/news/why-visiting-a-prison-changed-how-i-support-families/

01/09/2026

“I wish my teacher knew that my dad was in prison so they didn’t think I had an attitude or was rude. It’s just because I think about my dad every day.”

If you have, or have had, a parent or carer in prison, your experiences matter.

We're carrying out research to better understand how schools support young people affected by parental imprisonment. We want to hear directly from you about what's helped, what hasn't, and what you wish your teachers understood.

💬 Share your voice by completing our quick, anonymous form: https://www.cognitoforms.com/Pact6/IWishMyTeacherKnew

Address

29 Peckham Road
London
SE58UA

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Telephone

+442077359535

Website

http://www.prisonadvice.org.uk/

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