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Applying for contact in prison

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helpneeded1

Member since
August 2021

27 posts

Posted Tue September 19, 2023 7:15pmReport post

Does anyone know how long it takes for an application to process for a child to be able to see their dad in prison?

Also, did you experience any problems in getting the application approved with full access (written communication/calls/visits) because of the type of offences our people have committed? He's always been allowed supervised access so I'd like to think it should go smoothly..

Thanks!

Dragonmama

Member since
November 2022

251 posts

Posted Tue September 19, 2023 10:33pmReport post

Not going to lie I would love to know how long this takes also, I know that our people must undertake several assessments via the prison itself and social services and last but not least the governor of the prison has the final say. Still waiting and it's been 2 months so far.

ss will try everything in their power to try and persuade you not to allow contact because "they are such a danger" it is ridiculous.

helpneeded1

Member since
August 2021

27 posts

Posted Wed September 20, 2023 7:43amReport post

Oh gosh, two months?! I was hoping we were looking more like weeks, although I'm not sure why I'm surprised as everything else has taken forever on this journey too!



Hopefully they listen to my son and hear what he's telling them, he just wants to see his dad! I know there has to be precautions but no contact at all isn't protective, it's damaging.

InTatters

Member since
June 2022

175 posts

Posted Wed September 20, 2023 8:07amReport post

My children's father is in prison (18 months of a 3-year sentence). Before sentencing we had unlimited supervised contact. I was informed approval for contact in prison should take a maximum three months. The starting point is always no contact at all - no phone calls, messages, written comms, or in-person visits. It took eight months and a lot of chasing for us to receive approval (we got approval for all levels of contact). In that time, the children did not even hear their dad's voice for eight months. Heartbreaking. I had had the foresight to get him to write two years worth of birthday cards before sentencing (he wasn't happy about it, but after the total f'ing shitstorm he'd created, I didn't have much sympathy), so I was able to give them cards from him on their birthdays. Otherwise they would have had nothing from him - damaging to all concerned. I have chosen to not take them to see him in person yet - still deciding whether they need to have that experience/memory. I'm leaning towards not. Hope you have a better experience.

Edited Wed September 20, 2023 8:34pm