Social worker - children's service
I support children and families and assess children's needs. I should be involved in all stages of the pathway if I already work with the family when the arrest takes place, although someone needs to let me know!
If they are a new family and there are concerns about the welfare of a child, I should be told about them by the police at arrest stage and asked to make an assessment.
I see it as my responsibility to make sure that those looking after the child think about how best to maintain family contact with the imprisoned parent through visits, letters, photos etc.
I would also work with foster carers or residential child care staff to facilitate this process. It is my statutory responsibility to ensure the child or young person is in regular contact with a parent in prison as long as it's in their best interests.
It is up to me to arrange for the child to be accompanied to the prison if no one else is able to do it. Sometimes, the other parent does not want anything to do with their partner who has been imprisoned and so won't take the child to visit. We would only offer to visit with a child if the child is known to us: we are therefore the corporate parent.
Part of my statutory responsibility with looked after children is to liaise with probation and prisons and other agencies to ensure support for children and help them maintain family ties. I should also be involved post release to help the family adjust.