3. Prison

Social work practitioner, children's service

1. Obtain booking numbers and prison visit process.

2. Assist in booking visits.

3. Assist in making visits.

4. Support foster carers in helping child maintain family ties.

Behavioural support worker

1. Contact allocated social worker if the child has one.

2. Learn about the prison's visiting set-up so you can tell the child what will happen during a visit.

3. Explain the process to the head teacher as visits usually take place during school hours.

4. Use available resources to help and support the child.

Sure Start children's centre staff member

1. Keep up to date on visiting information for prisons.

2. Keep contact with allocated social worker and other professionals working with the family.

3. Know what services and support resources are available in your local area.

4. Know what national services are available.

5. Help with arranging transport to and from the prison.

6. Help to prepare the family for the visit.

Probation officer

1. Community probation officers carry out prison visits if the sentence is more than 12 months.

2. Liaise with social worker, prison and other relevant agencies.

3. Probation staff based in prisons assist in sentence planning and liaise with the probation service in the area into which the prisoner will be released.