Links

We hope that you find the following links useful. The list is not exhaustive, but includes those websites that we have found to be a great resource base for our work.

We are always happy to connect with organisations in the work of caring for ex-offenders, so please do forward your details if you think your services might be of use.

Support Organisations

Caring for Ex-Offenders: Scotland
– CFEO’s base of operations in Scotland – 0141 352 2603 – www.cfeoscotland.org

Bridging the Gap
– information on services affecting ex-offenders – 020 8090 1486 / 07761 246 942 – www.btguk.org

Churches’ Criminal Justice Forum
– a network of churches aiming to uphold Christian values in the field of criminal justice – 020 7901 4878 - www.ccjf.org

Counselling Directory
- search for a counsellor or psychotherapist near you - 01276 301235 - www.counselling-directory.org.uk

Free on the Inside
– informs churches and organisations about the need for and demands of prison ministry and rehabilitation – 020 7735 9821 - www.foti.org.uk/

Living Well Trust
– works towards the transformation of local urban communities affected by poverty, social exclusion and injustice – 01228 808 834 - www.livingwelltrust.org.uk

Make Justice Work
– is a campaign to boost public support for a change in how Britain deals with minor offenders – 020 3538 8365 - makejusticework.org.uk

Message Home
– service that helps track missing people – 0800 700 740 – Text Service 80234 – messagehome@missingpeople.org.uk

Ministry of Justice
– government department responsible for improvements to the justice system – www.justice.gov.uk

NACRO Services
– aims to prevent offending and assist in resettlement – 020 7840 6464– www.nacro.org.uk

Offenders Anonymous
– runs small groups of ex-offenders who work through a 12-step programme to attempt to beat addiction to crime – www.offenders-anonymous.org.uk

Offenders' Families Helpline
- can contribute to travel costs involved in visiting relatives in prison  http://www.offendersfamilieshelpline.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Help-with-the-cost-of-prison-visits.pdf

PACT
- supports prisoners’ families – 0808 808 2003 – www.prisonadvice.org.uk

Prison Fellowship
– run prayer groups, Angel Tree (providing Christmas presents for prisoners' children) and Sycamore Tree (a Victim Awareness and Restorative Justice programme) in prisons – 020 7799 2500 – www.prisonfellowship.org.uk

Prisoner Location Service
– PO Box 2152 Birmingham B15 1SD – prisoner.location.service@noms.gsi.gov.uk – To find an inmate who has been imprisoned for some time, you need to write including the following information:

• Full name of person you want to contact
• Details of any known aliases
• His/Her date of birth
• Sentencing details (if known)
• Your full address
• Your date of birth
• Reason for enquiry

If the person is in custody, your details will be passed to the prisoner who will be asked to give consent for the disclosure of his or her whereabouts.

All replies and disclosures of information will be in accordance with departmental rules and data protection legislation.

Prison Reform Trust
– an independent charity working to create a just, humane and effective penal system – 020 7251 5070 – www.prisonreformtrust.org.uk

Salvation Army
– runs housing centres for men, women and families which offer activities and training to help improve self-esteem, mental health and employment prospects – 020 7407 4644 – www.salvationarmy.org.uk

St Vincent de Paul Society
– voluntary organization dedicated to tackling poverty and disadvantage by providing direct practical assistance to anyone in need - 020 7407 4644 – www.svp.org.uk

UNLOCK
– the National Association of Ex-Offenders – 01634 247 350 – www.unlock.org.uk

Accommodation

Each borough has what is called a Homeless Person's Unit, which would be the best statutoray body to contact with regard to housing in your local area. This can be found by typing 'homless persons unit' and your borough into a search engine. Other sources of information include:

Homeless Persons’ Unit
– every borough should have one of these; ask at the council offices for contact details

Langley House Trust
– provides resettlement accommodation for ex-offenders and those at risk of offending – 01993 774 075 – www.langleyhousetrust.org

Nehemiah Project
– works with men in prison to face and deal with issues in their lives that have led to their current circumstances; also runs a project of supported housing – 020 8769 3444 – www.tnp.org.uk

Shelter Housing Advice
– a section dedicated to people in prison and ex-offenders - http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/Prisoners_and_ex-offenders

St Mungo’s
– provides emergency shelter, support towards recovery, and help to prevent rough sleeping – 020 8762 5500 – www.mungos.org

YMCA England
– provides housing, training and sports facilities to support young people and their families – 020 7070 2160 – www.ymca.org.uk

Benefit Advice and Financial Support Services

Christians against Poverty
– national debt relief charity – 01274 760 720 – www.capuk.org

Citizens Advice Bureau
– aims to help people resolve legal, money and other problems by providing free, independent and confidential advice – 08444 111 444 – www.citizensadvice.org.uk

Department of Work and Pensions
– can give advice on various benefits and financial support – www.dwp.gov.uk

The Money Course
– The Money Course is designed to help people explore their personal relationship with money and to take control of their finances – www.themoneycourse.org

Education

Listening Books
- provide books on audio to people who find it difficult to read due to illness or disability, including learning difficulties like dyslexia. For more information please see  http://www.listening-books.org.uk/

Employment

For access to job vacancies and advice on how to apply for a job with a criminal record:

Jobcentre Plus
– national searchable database of jobs – 0845 606 0234 – www.jobseekers.direct.gov.uk

APEX Trust
– seeks to help people with criminal records to obtain appropriate jobs or self-employment – 020 7638 5931 – www.apextrust.com

Probation

Local Probation Trusts
– contact the local police station for details or refer to http://www.justice.gov.uk/about/probation-trusts.htm

Police

Christian Police Association
– supports Christians in the police service and promotes Christian values in the field of law enforcement – 01234 272 865 – www.cpauk.net

Local Police Stations (community liaison officer) – see telephone directory for contact number or see the website at www.police.uk

Child Protection and Families

Action for Prisoners Families
– works for the benefit of prisoners' and offenders' families by representing the views of families and those who work with them – 020 8812 3600 – www.prisonersfamilies.org.uk

Churches Child Protection Advisory Service
– the only independent Christian safeguarding charity – 0845 120 4550 – info@ccpas.co.uk – www.ccpas.co.uk

Stop It Now!
– advice for those sexually attracted to children – 0808 1000 900 – www.stopitnow.org.uk

The Lucy Faithfull Foundation
–UK-wide charity aiming to reduce the likelihood of children being sexually abused – www.lucyfaithfull.org.uk

Parents Protect
– Prevention and awareness website which aims to help parents protect their children from sexual abuse – www.parentsprotect.co.uk
 

Young People and Children

Often young offenders need special provisions to help resettle into the community. For more information, the following links may be useful:

Children’s Society
– a Christian charity committed to helping vulnerable and disadvantaged young people, including safeguarding children in care and young runaways – 020 7841 4400 – www.childrenssociety.org.uk

Message Trust
– conducts youth work and other youth-orientated activities in schools, communities and prisons to help reduce crime and transform disadvantaged communities – 0161 946 2300 – www.message.org.uk

Reflex
– deliver informal education, outreach and mentoring to marginalised young people – 0121 502 9647 – www.reflex.org

For information regarding young offenders and to link in with your local Youth Offending Teams (YOT) go to www.youth-justice-board.gov.uk

Drugs and Alcohol

For help recovering from addictions, HTB runs the Recovery Course: for more information on this please contact Nigel Skelsey at nigel.skelsey@htb.org.uk. There are a number of other organisation that also provide support of this kind of support.

Addaction
– provides services to help tackle drug and alcohol addiction, and offers support for those affected by a loved one's addiction – 020 7251 5860 – www.addaction.org.uk

Alcoholics Anonymous
– a fellowship of men and women who support and help one another to achieve sobriety – 0845 769 7555 – or directory enquiries for local branch – www.alcoholic-anonymous.org.uk

Cranstoun
– provides treatment, rehabilitation and support with the aim of reducing the affects of drug and alcohol use – 020 8335 1830 – www.cranstoun.org

Life for the World
– equips and trains organisations and churches who are providing services to help people deal with drug and alcohol addictions – 0845 241 0973 – www.lftw.org

Mainliners
– support and advice for those at risk of HIV & AIDS or who have used drugs, legal or illegal – 020 7251 5860 – www.mainliners.org.uk

Narcotics Anonymous
– consists of groups of people for whom drugs are a major problem, meeting together to encourage abstinence and recovery – 0300 999 1212 – www.ukna.org

Phoenix Futures
– provides interventions to enable people to address patterns of drug and alcohol misuse through services and personal development programmes – 020 7234 9740 – www.phoenix-futures.org.uk

Rehabilitation for Addicted Prisoners Trust
– works to help people with drug and alcohol dependence, both in prison and in the community, move towards, achieve and maintain positive and fulfilling drug-free and crime-free lives – 020 7820 3716 – www.rapt.org.uk

Release
– provides advice on drug-related issues, including legal problems – 0845 4500 215 – www.release.org.uk

Re-Solv
– national charity solely dedicated to the prevention of solvent and volatile substance abuse – 01785 817 885 – www.re-solv.org

Talk To Frank
– national drugs education service – 0800 77 66 00 – www.talktofrank.com

Teen Challenge
– operates nationally to help people who have developed life controlling problems, especially drug and alcohol addictions – 01269 844168 – www.teenchallenge.org.uk

Mental Health

Mental health problems disproportionately affect ex-offenders. There are organisations specifically dedicated to helping cope with these:

Mental Health Foundation
– mental health research, policy and service improvement charity – www.mentalhealth.org.uk

MIND
– gives help and advice for people with mental health problems and their family and friends – 0300 123 3393 – www.mind.org.uk

Rethink
– works to help everyone affected by severe mental illness recover a better quality of life – 0300 5000 927 – www.rethink.org

SANE
– raises awareness of mental health, conducts research and offers a helpline service to give advice – 020 7375 1002 – www.sane.org.uk

Please note that whilst care is taken in providing links, CFEO is not responsible for the content, quality, or accuracy of any off-site materials referenced or linked through this website.