Are there Family Liaison Officers in your Prison System?

The role of liaison with the families belongs to social workers

What is your visiting and phoning policy?

There are three different types of visits: Regular communication: in a box with a glass in the middle Intimate vis a vis: a double bedroom with bathroom, condoms, towels and soap Family vis a vis: in a spacious room with armchairs, sofa and a table Phoning policy: Inmates are allowed by law to 5 calls phone per week. Each call with duration up to 5 minutes each. Phone calls may increase as a form of reward. This ruling relates to the Disciplinary Commission of each Prison Center.

Is there any „customer-service" type training provided to staff operating the security scanner and to those officers supervising visits?

Who and how and is regularly supervising children visits?

Guards: During family visits the guards should stand out of the room to guarantee the surveillance and safety of the communications area Social workers: They have the responsibility to prepare those visits with children’s and, if necessary, during the visit they can also stay with the family. Volunteers: They take care of children’s in a play area and, if the family agrees, they can also stay with the family into the room during the visit in order to support them in case of necessity.

Does your Prison System provide a standard training/program on parenting for prisoners who are parents?

There is one specific parenting program addressed to women and made by a volunteers organization. The “Mothers Unit” is in itself is a comprehensive program of training on parenting issues addressed to mothers in prison. There is also the possibility for mothers from the Mothers Unit (Inside prison) to attend parenting training courses in a “Dependent Unit” for mothers with children’s located outside prison. There are also residential resources offering parenting courses that can be attended by inmate’s women during their permits There are also transversal interventions with parenting issues in the courses of sexual education, health and maternity.

Does your Prison System provide a standard training/program on improving family/partner relationships to prisoners?

Indirectly the issue is dealt with in various specialized programs: VIGE (Gender Violence) and DEVI (Violent offenses)

Are prisoners provided with family counselling or family psychotherapy?

Social workers provide assistance and family counseling to all inmates who want it. There are offers of family psychotherapy promoted by external institutions addressed to those inmates who are serving their sentences in open prison regime.

What other kind of interventions does your Prison System undertake regarding support to maintaining (enhancing and improving) family relationships of prisoners?

Family Meetings/family days: These are activities of a treatment nature. These are days in which a certain unit of the prison center (therapeutic community, artistic workshops, school or other..) will organize an open day with the families of all those inmates from the unit who wish to participate

Are there Family Liaison Officers in your Prison System?

Within the Flemish Community, some prisons offer family detention support at the request of the detainee. In this case, the care providers get in touch with the family members extramurally and offer adequate support.

What is your visiting and phoning policy?

2. Concerning the visits, a distinction is made between the sentenced and the accused persons. The sentenced persons are entitled to at least three table visits of one hour per week and at least two hours of conjugal/private family visit per month. (In practice, some prisons offer more when possible from an organizational point of view, but this is what they are entitled to pursuant to the basic law.) The accused persons are entitled to one hour of table visit per day and are subject to the same rules for conjugal visits and private family visits. In some prisons, the employees of the Flemish Community organize children’s visits during which activities for the children and the detained parent are organized. The detainees are entitled to daily phone calls at their own expense. The maximum length of the calls depends on the institution (determined in the rules of procedure). No distinction is made towards the family concerning cost, length and frequency.

Is there any „customer-service" type training provided to staff operating the security scanner and to those officers supervising visits?

3. Yes. In this framework a five-day training is mandatory. In three days, the participants learn how to work with the material, i.e. RX machine and metal detector, while two days are devoted to reception and communication training. The basic training of all new prison officers contains a two-hour module concerning the detainees’ visits.

Who and how and is regularly supervising children visits?

The employees of the Flemish Community organize and accompany this. They are trained to do this and do not wear a uniform. However, during these visits, the visiting room is supervised by uniformed prison officers, who are not specifically trained for children’s visits.

Does your Prison System provide a standard training/program on parenting for prisoners who are parents?

Not automatically; however, the Flemish Community offers such trainings.

Does your Prison System provide a standard training/program on improving family/partner relationships to prisoners?

Idem question 5.

Are prisoners provided with family counselling or family psychotherapy?

No, unless extramurally via leaves in preparation of their social rehabilitation.

What other kind of interventions does your Prison System undertake regarding support to maintaining (enhancing and improving) family relationships of prisoners?

This does not fall within the competence of the Belgian prison system. This is arranged by the Flemish Community and the centres for general welfare work.

Are there Family Liaison Officers in your Prison System?

For some time now every prison has at least one Family Contact Officer (FCO). The FCO is a member of prison staff who is responsible for encouraging and maintaining links with families. The main role of the FCO is to offer support and advice for relatives who may have concerns about their loved ones. As well as liaising between the visitors and the prisoners the FCO can also put visitors in touch with our partner agencies who can provide advice, mutual support and understanding.

What is your visiting and phoning policy?

The number of visits a prisoner may have depends on their status (whether they are remand or convicted), the timetable and the facilities of the prison they are in. Due to each prison having unique facilities, the number of adults and/or children allowed per visit varies between prisons. Each prison has information on its own procedures. There are telephones in the prison which prisoners can use to telephone their families and friends at certain times. The phone system works on a credit basis and payment comes from prisoners personal cash account (PPC), wages or savings. Prisoners are issued with a PIN number to access an outside line. Soon after a prisoner is admitted to prison they are asked to submit a list of telephone numbers of family, friends and legal contacts. They will only be allowed to call numbers on their list. It is not possible to make a direct phone call to a prisoner. If a family member or friend needs to get an urgent message to a prisoner, for example about illness or death in the family or the birth of a baby, the prison can be contacted using phone numbers found on our prison information pages. There is not usually any restriction on the number of letters a prisoner can receive.

Is there any „customer-service" type training provided to staff operating the security scanner and to those officers supervising visits?

Visits staff will be familiar with visits procedures and will be trained accordingly. Our security when visiting a prison is similar to what you would expect at an airport. For visitors’ safety and security we operate robust security measures. The purpose of our security process is to ensure the safety of everyone visiting the prison. While security measures vary at different prisons dependent on the facilities, generally speaking visitors will be asked to place their belongings in a locker and proceed through a metal detector. They may be asked to remove a belt or shoes and there may also be ION scanners in place or dogs present. There will usually be a waiting room before they are called through to the visits area.

Who and how and is regularly supervising children visits?

Uniform staff manage family visits. Voluntary Sector staff are present in the Hubs or Family Visits Centres. Children’s Visits Policy Children’s Visits (formerly known as Bonding Visits). Children’s Visits (or ‘bonding’) visits are additional to offenders’ statutory visiting entitlements and provide an opportunity for an offender in custody to interact and spend quality time with their young relative in a relaxed environment. The SPS’s position is clear: • Presumed inclusion for all, having regard to any child protection issues; • All children and young people under the age of 18 should be able to access these visits; and • Offenders who can demonstrate an established relationship with a child/young person should be able to access these visits (this is to ensure that grandparents, step-parents etc. can access these visits).

Does your Prison System provide a standard training/program on parenting for prisoners who are parents?

National Parenting Strategy Outcomes Policy The Scottish Prison Service recognises that it has an active role to play in delivering parenting support to offenders in our care. Half of offenders who participated in the SPS Prisoner Survey in 2015 said they were parents and the most recent information from analytical colleagues suggests around 20,000 children are affected by parental imprisonment in Scotland. Parenting Support across SPS should achieve the following outcomes: • parents play an active role in strong, stable families; • parents gain a greater understanding of the value of being a parent and their role in the family unit; • parents have positive aspirations for their children; • parents gain a ‘toolbox of skills’ to allow them to develop positive relationships with their children; • parents have the confidence to ask for, and engage with, support services without the fear of stigma; • parents understand that maintaining positive relationships improves their child's health and wellbeing; and • parents enhance their literacy and skills through contextualised learning i.e. in activities that are not solely classroom based and delivered by the education provider. The SPS is committed to working with offenders, their families, the community and partners in order to encourage and maintain meaningful family contact throughout an offender’s time in custody. SPS is leading the development of a parenting and relationships programme for offenders, initially this will begin with young men at HM YOI Polmont. This programme will look at their own experience of being a child, their approach to relationships and being a parent, as well as the development of life skills and practical parenting skills. Barnardo’s are delivering this Parenting Programme with SPS staff.

Does your Prison System provide a standard training/program on improving family/partner relationships to prisoners?

Encouraging Family Contact Policy The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) recognises that children and families are hugely motivating factors that can influence behaviour change and is committed to working with families, community and voluntary sector partners in order to maintain meaningful family contact throughout a period of imprisonment. We want to strengthen the relationship between the SPS and families affected by imprisonment to ensure that both offender and family receive the best possible support during this difficult time. We now have Standards for Encouraging Family Contact which details the minimum level of support that is now available in every establishment. These standards became operational on 1st April 2013 and include five key standards: • Access SPS will offer opportunities for children and families to maintain contact with their relatives. • Communication SPS will provide information which is accessible and meets the needs of families. • Participation SPS will actively encourage families to participate at key stages of a relative’s sentence. • Respect SPS staff will treat every visitor as an individual, and with dignity and respect. • Safety SPS will ensure families visiting a relative in prison do so in a safe and pleasant environment. Child Protection Policy It is the responsibility of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to ensure that all reasonable steps are taken to protect from harm and abuse those children and young people who visit or make contact with a prison and with offenders. Child protection is the responsibility of all who interact with children and families, regardless of whether that work brings them into direct contact with children and young people. We have procedures which set out the roles and responsibilities for staff, including non-SPS staff, working across the SPS estate. The policy has been brought into line with the Scottish Government’s National Guidance and applies to SPS and its private sector partners. It focuses on child protection in a SPS context, with clearly defined roles and responsibilities for staff and step-by-step guidance on the reporting procedure which must be followed. This policy is based on the following principles: • that the welfare of the child or young person is always paramount; • that all suspicions and allegations of abuse must be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately; • that all staff will be: o able to recognise signs of potential abuse; o aware of their obligations to protect children and young people from harm and abuse; and o aware of the correct reporting procedures. We have implemented our Child Protection Policy which is in line with the National Guidance on Child Protection in Scotland. Every establishment now has a Designated Child Protection Co-ordinator.

Are prisoners provided with family counselling or family psychotherapy?

SPS provides a number of cognitive offender behaviour programmes, some of which will deal with relationships and appropriate personal interactions.

What other kind of interventions does your Prison System undertake regarding support to maintaining (enhancing and improving) family relationships of prisoners?

Children and babies are allowed in visits sessions. Many of our prisons also provide additional family visits or bonding visits. A new build prison such as HMP Low Moss has introduced a unique and original ‘family driven’ visits policy through which the family was ‘empowered’. The new approach to visits and family contact in Low Moss has been viewed in positive terms by prisoners, families, staff and volunteers and is seen as consistent with the overall ethos being promoted in the establishment. The innovative visiting arrangements enable prisoners to maintain close relationships with their families and to be involved in their lives. There is a clear view that the children’s visits has a positive impact on bonding between prisoners and their children, enabling parents to be involved in their children’s growing up. Aspects of the new approach considered particularly positive were the opportunity, frequency and availability of family contact; flexibility in approach and the focus on enabling contact; pleasant surroundings and a relaxed atmosphere for the visits; and activities and events (particularly freedom of movement at children’s visits).

Are there Family Liaison Officers in your Prison System?

No, there are no Family Liaison Officers in Lithuanian Prison System

What is your visiting and phoning policy?

Prisoners have the right, established in the Criminal Sanctions Enforcement Code of the Republic of Lithuania to receive visits from their families. There are the following types of correction institutions executing a custodial sentence: correction houses, correction house-open prison colony, closed prison, juvenile remand prison-correction house, and central prison hospital. In Correction houses, juvenile remand prison-correction house and central prison hospital: ordinary group - one long term and one short term visit in two months’ time (teenagers – two short term and one long term visit per month), make a telephone call twice a week (15 min.); privileged group - two long term and two short term visits in two months’ time (teenagers – four short term and one long term visit per month), make a telephone call once a day; disciplined group – one short term visit in four months’ time, make a telephone call twice a month. In Closed prison: ordinary group – one short term visit in two months’ time, make a telephone call twice a week; disciplined group – make a telephone call twice a month. Short term visit shall be permitted by the director of a correction institution with a spouse, a partner and a person a convicted person has a common child if neither a convicted person nor this person is married to another person or has other partners without the presence of a representative of a correction institution. In open prison – visits and phone calls are not limited. If the housing conditions permit, convicted persons can live next to an open prison with their families. Also, if a convicted person does not have sanctions, once a week for up to two days, excluding work or annual leave, may be granted leave home in the territory of the Republic of Lithuania. The length of short term visit – up to three hours; long term visit (children are not allowed) – up to twenty-four hours. Short term visits with a spouse, a partner and next of kin and other persons shall be in the presence of a representative of a correction institution but the conversation shall be private. On the request of the inmate a short term visit can be replaced by two telephone calls or one long term visit – by two short term visits. Convicted spouses upon whom a custodial sentence was imposed may be granted two long term visits and one short term visit a year, and their right to make a phone call depends on which group they are assigned to. Convicted persons upon a resolution of a director or acting officer of a correction institution may be granted three additional long term visits a year, and for convicted persons allocated to an ordinary or privileged group may be granted not limited number of additional short term or long term meetings for social liaison. Family visit rooms are free of charge while the expenses of phone calls shall be carried out by the convicted person.

Is there any „customer-service" type training provided to staff operating the security scanner and to those officers supervising visits?

In 2016 two trainings on children treatment during visits were organized to officers supervising visits.

Who and how and is regularly supervising children visits?

Both short-term and long-term visits are supervised by officers dressed in uniform regardless of whether children are participating or not in the visit.

Does your Prison System provide a standard training/program on parenting for prisoners who are parents?

No, it does not.

Does your Prison System provide a standard training/program on improving family/partner relationships to prisoners?

No, it does not.

Are prisoners provided with family counselling or family psychotherapy?

No they are not. If necessary, the family doctor has the right to send a patient to the appropriate specialist (including family psychotherapist) consultation at another office.

What other kind of interventions does your Prison System undertake regarding support to maintaining (enhancing and improving) family relationships of prisoners?

Cognitive behavioral corrective program "Only you and I," "Behavior-Conversation-Exchange", Social skills training programs.

Are there Family Liaison Officers in your Prison System?

We do not have any specific Family Laison Officers in our Prison System. However we think that some tasks of FLO as they are known in other countries is possible to find in daily tasks of some of our prison stuff.

What is your visiting and phoning policy?

Enforcement of Criminal Sanction Act defines that prisoners could have visits of close family members at least twice every week. Every visit could not last more than one hour. Prisoners are also allowed daily telephone calls to all approved numbers.

Is there any „customer-service" type training provided to staff operating the security scanner and to those officers supervising visits?

We do not have any special training type as so called “customer-service”. There are some associated topics in the basic training for staff operating the security scanner and also in some additional trainings in connection with the relation to visitors, especially about communication topics.

Who and how and is regularly supervising children visits?

All officers on the duty are dressed in uniforms while they do not have only one task inside their daily duties. If they are operating on visits area they have to show sensibility for all visitors not only for children. For now we do not have any trained volunteers who would especially support children during their visit in prison.

Does your Prison System provide a standard training/program on parenting for prisoners who are parents?

We do not know about any training/program on parenting for prisoners who are parents in our prisons. We could say that some questions on this topic arise when individual prisoners speak with prison stuff or small group session meeting.

Does your Prison System provide a standard training/program on improving family/partner relationships to prisoners?

We neither have any training/program on improving family/partner relationships to prisoners.

Are prisoners provided with family counselling or family psychotherapy?

Yes. All of them who express their need or questions about family are supported through the prison stuff that provide counselling or psychotherapy. But however we could not say that we have employed people who provide only family counselling or family psychotherapy.

What other kind of interventions does your Prison System undertake regarding support to maintaining (enhancing and improving) family relationships of prisoners?

We have to mention our strong connection and good cooperation with Social Centres and also some NGOs who are related to family area.

Are there Family Liaison Officers in your Prison System?

There are not Family Liasion Officers in Estonian Prison System. Estonian Prison System has contact persons for prisoners. Contact person is a prison officer who has the most interaction with a prisoner. To each prisoner a contact person has been assigned who solves problems of the prisoner or organises their solution with other prison officers. A contact person shall guide a prisoner to law-abiding behaviour and contact person arranges for other necessary social welfare related help for a prisoner.

What is your visiting and phoning policy?

In Estonian prisons the prisoners can arrange short-term and long-term meetings. An imprisoned person as well as a pre-trial inmate is entitled to short-term visits at least once a month. There can be up to two visitors at once. Adults are allowed to take a minor child with them when the number of children is pre-approved by the prison-service. A prisoner shall be allowed to receive long-term visits from his or her spouse, father, mother, grandfather, grandmother, child, grandchild, adoptive parent, adoptive child, step parent or foster parent, step child or foster child, brother or sister. Long-term visits from a cohabitee shall be allowed on the condition that they have common children or at least two years of cohabitation prior to commencement of serving the sentence. A long-term visit means that a prisoner and a visitor are allowed to be together without constant supervision in prison premises designated for such purpose during a twenty-four hour period. The imprisoned person is entitled to at least one long-term visit within half a year. The imprisoned person shall be entitled to use a telephone (except a mobile telephone) and the imprisoned person may only use telephone cards attained through the medium of the prison. The imprisoned person is entitled to use a telephone once a week, although most of the prisoners can call when the cell doors are opened. The prisoner who is not in the open prison department needs to write an application for making a call. The duaration of a phonecall is not less than five minutes.

Is there any „customer-service" type training provided to staff operating the security scanner and to those officers supervising visits?

In Estonian prisons there are not any „customer-service“ type trainings provided to prison staff, although it is mandatory to have a special education to work as a prison guard. The training of a guard lasts for one year.

Who and how and is regularly supervising children visits?

Estonian prisons do not have differences whether prisons visited by adults with or without children. If the prison facilities are visited by children, the visits are guarded by prison guards. There are no extra trainings carried out for guards when it comes to children visiting the facilities. The guards are required to wear a form even if the prisoners are visited by children. There are volunteers in Estonian prisons. The purpose of having volunteers is to help resocialize detainees and persons under probation supervision. Religious volunteers, additionally, help the chaplain service to guarantee religious freedom of the detainees by allowing them to meet with representatives (i.e. clerics) of their particular denomination.

Does your Prison System provide a standard training/program on parenting for prisoners who are parents?

Estonian prisons do not provide any specific parenting trainings for prisoners. When it is clear that the prisoner has a lack of skills in parenting and the crimes he/she has committed are related to parenting the prisoners are given specific conversations and teaching. A prisoner who has such issues are consulted before releasing him/her. Conversations are carried out by the contact person, if he/she is competent in this field, but if not, then it is possible to use psychology and social worker assistance.

Does your Prison System provide a standard training/program on improving family/partner relationships to prisoners?

Estonia does not provide training programs for prisoners in order to improve relations with the family and with partners in general, but we do have a family and intimate partner violence reduction programs. Also Estonian prisons has some social workers and psychologists who have received training in family therapy and, if necessary, they will advise prisoners to improve family or partner relationships. For improving family relations there are held family days, where the family can come to the prison and participate in the events along with the prisoner.

Are prisoners provided with family counselling or family psychotherapy?

In Estonian prison we do not have psychotherapy, but family counselling and family therapy is guaranteed for prisoners.

What other kind of interventions does your Prison System undertake regarding support to maintaining (enhancing and improving) family relationships of prisoners?

In Estonian prisons risk assessment interviews always cover family relation issues. The purpose of the social work is to help the detainee maintain and create important and positive social contacts outside the prison, to increase the ability to cope and to influence him/her to act more legally obedient. It is important that the person has a support network after the release.

Are there Family Liaison Officers in your Prison System?

Family Liaison Officers (FLOs) do operate in our prisons but their title means something different – they are officers who link up with families in times of tragedy – e.g. a death of a prisoner As regards to general families work we do have experience of “family engagement workers” (FEW). There are specialist workers who work with prisoners and families competing casework and so on. However they do not exist in all establishments and where they do they are likely to be provided by partner organisations who specialise in family work. Our prisons have a long history of working with voluntary sector organisations’ who specialise in family work and who offer valuable partnership’s for us

What is your visiting and phoning policy?

Every prisoner is given the opportunity to receive a visit within 72 hours of reception once they are convicted which is in additional to the statutory entitlement. A prisoner on remand (waiting for their trial) is allowed three 1-hour visits a week. A convicted prisoner is allowed at least two 1-hour visits every 4 weeks. (See Prison Service Instruction (PSI) 16/2011, Providing Visits and Services to Visitors) Prison Rules require prisons to actively encourage prisoners to maintain outside contacts and meaningful family ties. On first reception into prison, prisoners often need to make an early telephone caII to family and friends to let them know their whereabouts. The UK prison service uses a Pin system whereby prisoners are able to register identified numbers that they are permitted to call. The frequency and length of telephone communication will be dependent on the prison regime which will determine when prisoners are permitted access to telephones. Letters and phone calls assist in sustaining supportive relationships with family and friends. (see PSI 49/2011 Prisoner Communication Services) Prisoners are not permitted to have more than £50 in telephone credits in their telephone account at any time, except for foreign national prisoners and those prisoners with close family abroad where no limit will apply. Prisoners to whom this exemption might apply will fund the cost of any additional balance (above £50) of telephone credit from their Private Cash only - further details about the arrangements for Private Cash can be found in PSI 1/2012. A Prison Voicemail Service enables families to exchange voicemail messages with their loved ones in prison. The family member dials a unique landline number from their mobile phone and leaves a message. The prisoner can receive and reply from any phone within the prison. Families and carers are integrated in the care of young people in custody, which includes Training Planning meetings where the family/carer is involved in planning the young person’s sentence.

Is there any „customer-service" type training provided to staff operating the security scanner and to those officers supervising visits?

There is no consistent training across the estate but some establishments have invested training and briefing of regular visits staff, often using their partner providers to assist in that training

Who and how and is regularly supervising children visits?

Apart from the training mentioned above no standard training is offered for visits staff. (There would some initial basic coverage at Prison Officer training) Prison officers generally wear uniform on visits although many prisons have working relationships with voluntary organisations/ volunteers to offer support; for example in supervising a play area; or running a coffee bar/ or offering initial welcome in a visitors reception centre Most prisons would have toys/books available for children and most prisons work with voluntary sector/volunteer support to offer regularly, or on occasion, play area facilities Our prisons are currently being encouraged to be more flexible with regard to children bringing in homework and their own reading books Most prisons run “Family Days” which, with the support of partner providers and volunteers are a more flexible attempt to offer an opportunity for prisoners to engage more freely with their families. They do not occur as frequently as ordinary visits but are often timed with school holidays etc

Does your Prison System provide a standard training/program on parenting for prisoners who are parents?

There are no “standard” programmes offered but many prisons have or are providing parenting oriented courses through their partner providers

Does your Prison System provide a standard training/program on improving family/partner relationships to prisoners?

As Q5

Are prisoners provided with family counselling or family psychotherapy?

There may be one or 2 examples but this would be rarer than parenting or relationship courses.

What other kind of interventions does your Prison System undertake regarding support to maintaining (enhancing and improving) family relationships of prisoners?

NOMS owns and supports delivery of range of Accredited Offending Behaviour Programmes. These encourage and support positive relationships between participants and their families (as appropriate), and can play an important role in supporting the wider Families Strategy. The evidence shows that supportive and pro-social family and marital relationships are important factors in enabling desistance. Programmes strengthen family ties and relationships with others by: • Encouraging individuals to set pro social goals and develop action plans which encourage them to work on improving their skills; • Supporting participants with skills acquisition. Depending on individual need, this is likely to include: o Improved problem solving, o Increased perspective taking, o Improved management of impulses, o Improved emotion management skills, o Reduced conflict in close relationships, o Improved ability to manage relationships with anti-social others, o Positive relationship skills, o Improvements in assertive behaviour where there are identified deficits, o Enhanced warmth and ability to care for others, o Confident and responsible parenting behaviours, o Feeling hopeful and motivated to give up crime. • Actively creating opportunities within programmes to support the involvement of family members who are exposed to the individual’s areas of need, progress updates, and developing goals. In some programmes this includes attending critical programme sessions, in others, attempts are made to involve family members in the post programme review. As our Programmes are constantly evolving please contact [email protected] for further information on our range.

Are there Family Liaison Officers in your Prison System?

This is the duty of the Social rehabilitation departments in prisons.

What is your visiting and phoning policy?

In accordance with Section 50.4 (Sentence Execution Regime in Closed Prisons) Part 8 Clause 5 of the Sentence Execution Code of Latvia (hereinafter – the Code), convicted persons serving sentence at the lowest level of the sentence-serving regime in a closed prison have the right to have walks or to participate in sports games in the open air for not less than one hour per day. Section 70 Part 8 of the Code states: “If the conditions of the procedures for walks referred to in the internal procedural regulations of the deprivation of liberty institution are violated during a walk, the walk shall be terminated and a punishment shall be imposed on the convicted person for the violation of the sentence serving regime.” Section 74 Part 2 of the Code states: “Convicted persons who are held in disciplinary isolation cells shall be permitted a one-hour walk each day and correspondence with the family.” In Section 23 of the Regulations No.423 “Internal Regulations of a Place of Imprisonment” signed by the Cabinet of Ministers on May 30, 2006, it is stated that daily agenda includes working time and time for educational, development and regime activities, meals, inmate count checks, daily walks, rest time as well as 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep. However, in Section 28 of the same regulations it is stated that convicts, who have an active form of tuberculosis, in daily agenda time for treatment as well as no less than two hours a day for activities (walks) in fresh air is scheduled. According with Section 13 Part 1 Clause 4 of the Law On the Procedures for Holding under Arrest, “An arrested person has the right to have a daily walk lasting not less than one hour (if there is a corresponding instruction from a physician – not less than one and a half hours long)”. Section 17 Part 1 of the same law states, “If the arrested woman is in an investigation prison together with her child (children), her daily regimen shall be co-ordinated with the needs of the child (children) and a walk of not less than one and a half hours long together with the child shall be provided for therein”. In the Section 18 Part 1 Clause 2 of the Law On the Procedures for Holding under Arrest it is stated “In addition to the rights stipulated in Section 13 of this Law a minor arrested person has the right to a daily walk lasting not less than one and a half hours. Walking areas for minors shall be equipped with an inventory for active physical exercises”, and according with Part 3, “If a minor arrested person has been placed in a punishment isolation cell, he or she shall be permitted a daily walk lasting not less than an hour.” Section 29 Part 1 Clause 3 states, “The head of an investigation prison may apply the following incentives to an arrested person for exemplary behaviour – to grant additional time for walk”, however, in Section 30 Part 5 it is stated, “If the provisions of the procedures for walks provided for in the internal regulations of the investigation prison are violated during a walk, then the walk shall be discontinued and the arrested person shall be imposed a punishment for the violation of the internal regulations of the investigation prison.” According with Section 25 of the Regulations No.800 “Internal Regulations of an investigation prison” signed by the Cabinet of Ministers on November 27, 2007, daily agenda includes working time and time for educational, development and regime activities, meals, inmate count checks, daily walks, rest time as well as 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep. However, in Section 71 of the same regulations it is stated that inmates in punishment cell are provided a diet prescribed by a doctor if it is necessary for health reasons. If an arrested person has tuberculosis, they are allowed an hour long walk every day. An arrested person who is a minor is allowed a 1.5 hours long walk every day. According with Parts 1-8 of the Section 45 of the Code “Visitation of Persons Sentenced with Deprivation of Liberty by Relatives and Other Persons”: “The persons sentenced with deprivation of liberty, except persons sentenced with temporary deprivation of liberty, shall have an opportunity to meet their relatives and other persons without the presence of a representative of the deprivation of liberty institution in accordance with the procedures and extent laid down in this Code: short visits – from one to two hours in order to facilitate the maintaining and renewal of socially useful contacts; long visits – from six to forty-eight hours in order to facilitate the maintaining of kinship and family contacts. The persons sentenced with temporary deprivation of liberty shall have an opportunity to meet their relatives and other persons without the presence of a representative of the deprivation of liberty institution in accordance with the procedures and extent laid down in this Code: short visits – from one to two hours in order to facilitate the maintaining and renewal of socially useful contacts. During long-duration visits the convicted persons shall be permitted to stay with their relatives – parents, children, adopted persons, siblings, grandparents, grandchildren or a spouse. According to the decision of the administration of the deprivation of liberty institution short-duration visits with other persons may be permitted provided that the convicted person has had a common household or a common child with this person before commencing serving of the sentence. When registering marriage convicted persons, in addition, may be granted a longer meeting of up to 48 hours with the permission of the deprivation of liberty institution. Convicted persons shall not be permitted to meet arrested persons and the persons who are serving a sentence in other deprivation of liberty institutions. The head of the deprivation of liberty institution may forbid, according to his or her decision, that the convicted person meets a particular person for security considerations. According to a written submission of a convicted person and with the permission of the head of the prison, telephone conversations, at the expense of the convicted persons or persons with whom the conversations are conducted, may be substituted for short or long-duration visits. Procedures for visits and their substitution with telephone conversations shall be governed by the internal procedural regulations of the deprivation of liberty institution. In exceptional circumstances the head of the deprivation of liberty institution may, upon evaluating each individual case, take a justified decision to hold the short-duration visits referred to in Paragraph one of this Section in the presence of a representative of the deprivation of liberty institution, if it is necessary for security considerations or in the interest of the criminal proceedings, or if requested by the visitor. ” In Part 9 of the Section 45 of the Code it is stated that when deciding the length of a visit the head of the place of depravation of liberty takes into consideration the behaviour of the inmate in the place of depravation of liberty as well as the duty to provide visits to other inmates. In Part 11 of the Section 45 of the Code it is stated that inmates in the Latvian Prison Hospital accordingly to the doctor’s instructions a video-call with relatives or other persons is provided instead of a short-term visit. The number and duration of such video-calls is determined in accordance with the number and duration of short-term visits set in the Code taking into account the respective penal regime level, in which the convicted person is serving his sentence. According with Section 50.4 of the Code (Sentence Execution Regime in Closed Prisons): “Convicted persons serving their sentence at the highest level of the sentence serving regime in a closed prison have the right to have six long-duration visits of twelve to twenty-four hours and six short-duration visits of one to two hours per year. Convicted persons serving their sentence in a closed prison at the medium level of the sentence serving regime have the right to have four long-duration visits of eight to sixteen hours and six short-duration visits of one to two hours per year. Convicted persons serving sentence at the lowest level of the sentence serving regime in a closed prison have the right to have three long-duration visits of six to twelve hours and four short-duration visits of one to two hours per year.” Additionally, persons sentenced with deprivation of liberty for life (life imprisonment), who serve their sentence in a separate block of the deprivation of liberty institution with increased security, have the right to communicate with relatives or other persons by using video-call, without the presence of a representative of the deprivation of liberty institution: 1) serving their sentence at the highest level of the sentence serving regime – an hour long video-call three times per month; 2) serving their sentence at the medium level of the sentence serving regime - an hour long video-call two times per month; 3) serving their sentence at the lowest level of the sentence serving regime - an hour long video-call one time per month. According with Section 50.7 of the Code (Sentence Execution Regime in Juvenile Correctional Institutions), “Convicted minors are permitted to utilise fifteen long-duration visits from 36 to 48 hours with close relatives per year, to utilise twelve short-duration visits from one and half hours to two hours per year, to use eight telephone calls per month.” In Section 28 of the Regulations No.800 “Internal regulations of investigation prison” signed by the Cabinet of Ministers on November 27, 2007, it is stated that inmates have the right to an hour long visit with relatives or other persons no less than one time per month, but inmates that are minors – no less than one time per week. The investigation judge or court sets visitation limits by a written notice. According with Section 35 of the Regulations No.800, inmate has the possibility to meet two visitors at the same time, and in Section 36 it is stated that the person, who has arrived for the visit, shall provide a personal identification document for representative of the investigation prison administration. Section 37 states that an investigation prison can issue a temporary prohibition of visits (e.g. due to a quarantine or a riot). Persons who have arrived for a visit are informed about the temporary prohibitions. Officers carry out their duties in their uniform.

Is there any „customer-service" type training provided to staff operating the security scanner and to those officers supervising visits?

To carry out what has been stated in the Regulations No.752 “Order in which activities with sources of ionizing radiation are licensed and recorded” signed by the Cabinet of Ministers on December 22, 2015, officers of the places of imprisonment take part in further education courses “Radiation protection when working with medium-power radiation generating equipment”.

Who and how and is regularly supervising children visits?

Please see the answer to 2nd question.

Does your Prison System provide a standard training/program on parenting for prisoners who are parents?

No.

Does your Prison System provide a standard training/program on improving family/partner relationships to prisoners?

No.

Are prisoners provided with family counselling or family psychotherapy?

No, however, inmates have the possibility to turn to psychologist or social worker regarding family questions.

What other kind of interventions does your Prison System undertake regarding support to maintaining (enhancing and improving) family relationships of prisoners?

In the Cesis Correctional Institution for Juveniles a parent conference has been organised annually. In this conference participate parents (or other legal representatives), the personnel of the Cesis Correctional Institution for Juveniles as well as inmates. In addition, family days, where inmates can meet their relatives, will be organised regularly in Olaine prison Addiction centre.

Are there Family Liaison Officers in your Prison System?

Each prison shall have at least one, depending on the size of the prison, member of the staff that have a special assignment regarding the children of the clients according to the Swedish Prison and Probation Service’ (PPS) instructions. The task for this person is to; • Give information to managers and colleagues about the PPS obligation to consider a child’s perspective as expressed in the UNCRC. • Pay attention to issues regarding the visiting facilities and its environment i.e. visiting rooms, visiting apartments, waiting rooms and outdoor environment, so that they are suitable for children to the extent that are possible according to the level of security. • Provide support to colleagues in matters concerning a child of a client. • Ensure that the prison has good routines regarding the notification requirement. (An employee is required to notify the Social Welfare Board if the employee becomes aware of or suspect that a child is in danger of being a victim of mentally or physically child abuse). • Ensure that the prison staff treats visiting children with respect and in a way that is appropriate considering the child´s age and maturity. • Have knowledge about and communicate with NGOs that work to support children with relatives in prison.

What is your visiting and phoning policy?

The procedure for visiting a client is carefully administrated. Every person, that a client wants to receive a visit from and/or call on the phone, must first be approved by the PPS. First the client has to apply for a visit or/and a phone permit on a special form. The form is sent to the intended visitor so that person can agree to the contact, if he or she wants to. Thereafter the PPS do a risk assessment, considering both what is know about the client and what is know about the visitor, for example if the visitor is convicted of a crime. Than the PPS may grant a visit or/and a phone permit although in some cases with some special terms, for example that all visits or phone calls shall be supervised. Visits from family members, and especially children, are prioritized in terms of allocation of time for visits according to the PPS regulations. How often and for how long time clients are allowed to meet with their family differs between prisons. Each prison decides how many visits they can grant in total in a week and for how long time a visit may last. This is affected by, among other things, whether the visits will take place in special visiting rooms and how many visiting rooms there are or if the visits can take place in the ward, which only is allowed in some class 3 prisons. Each prison shall, according to the PPS regulations, have at least one specific visiting room that is suitable for children. These rooms shall be furnished in a way that appeals to children and hopefully create a comfortable and child friendly atmosphere. For example, these rooms have cheerful colors on the walls, curtains and carpets, child-friendly paintings and furniture that are suitable for children. Further, these rooms should be equipped with toys, books and other items that suit children of all ages – from infants to teenagers. A few prisons, in class 1 and 2, also have a special visiting room in the form of a small apartment furnished like a home. The purpose of theses visiting apartments is to allow the client and his or her family to be able to interact in a family way and make the visit more similar with a meeting in the society. The PPS prioritize clients who will have a visit from his or her partner and children for these apartments. Such visits may be allowed for a longer time than a few hours. The apartment may also, after approval, be used for overnight stays where the client may spend the night with his och her visitors. However, a child is not allowed to spend the night without an accompanying adult. The PPS have a special system to be able to administering phone calls for clients in a secure way. To use this system the client have to buy a special kind of phone card, which are provided by the PPS. In general clients are responsible for buying these cards for his or her own money, but regarding phone calls to children a client also may apply for financial assistance from the PPS. The PPS do not provide financial assistance, such as travel expenses, to the family members of clients. There are other social functions in society that may offer that kind of help.

Is there any „customer-service" type training provided to staff operating the security scanner and to those officers supervising visits?

All prison officers that are permanently employed at a prison are required to attend a 20 week basic training provided by the PPS, which among other things covers the areas of human rights, ethics and approaches, the PPSs values, laws and regulations, and security management (such as security scanners, body search and procedures for supervised visits. The training is both theoretical and practical. That enables the employees to apply their theoretical knowledge in practice and thus develop qualities needed for the duty. A fundamental aspect of the training is the PPSs ethical code, which include a professional code of conduct. The employees shall treat the clients and their relatives with respect and no form of harassment or abasement is tolerated. Body searches of children shall always be conducted in the presence of an accompanying adult. The child should be prepared before the body search take place and be informed how the procedure will be carried out, with reference to the child’s age and maturity. It is also important that the body search is performed in a child-friendly way. For instance if a portable detector is used, it can be equipped with a "hand puppet” that hopefully makes the body search more playful and less unpleasant.

Who and how and is regularly supervising children visits?

Supervision of a visit is carried out by prison officers dressed in uniform. Sometimes the supervision does not require physically present but may, if sufficient, be made by video or audio recording from another room. Several of the clients have children who come for visit, which require that the PPS pay attention to the children’s perspective and are aware of their needs. If physical supervision is required, it is important that the prison staff is calm, friendly and aware of their own body language. It is further important to treat children with understanding and if necessary explain why the visit has to be supervised. Basic knowledge regarding interaction with children and other relevant issues concerning children, are included in the training described above. The person that has a special assignment regarding the children of the clients is required to attend an additional training regarding children's issues. It comprises basic knowledge of the UNCRC and legal framework of the Social Services, conversations with children, separation and reunion, signs of child abuse and knowledge of the notification requirement. The PPS has cooperation with volunteers from NGOs who are conducting activities in prisons (more below) but they do not participate in visits.

Does your Prison System provide a standard training/program on parenting for prisoners who are parents?

The PPS have activities which aim to emphasize the role of parents. There is a program, Parental Group, which aims to support parents in their parenting role to promote children's positive development. The program gives increased knowledge about children's development and what separation from the parent can do to a child. It also gives knowledge about protective and beneficiary factors that work against risk factors for child development, children's needs, and how children can think and feel when a parent is committed for a crime, the importance of the parent and how important it is that parents/adults can collaborate. The study material has been developed by the NGO Bufff (Children and Youth with Parent/Family member in Prison). The PPS, in cooperation with libraries in different counties, also arranges study circles called “Bedtime stories from inside”. Within the study circle the client make a recording on a CD of him or her reading the child’s favorite story. Finally, the PPS have a special prison in class 3, Gruvberget, where clients for the time of a week or two can live in more open conditions and participate in different kinds of courses. In some courses the client’s family also can participate. In those cases the client and his or her family will stay in a house by themselves.

Does your Prison System provide a standard training/program on improving family/partner relationships to prisoners?

The PPS do not provide specific programs on improving family/partner relationships but there are two treatment programs focusing on partner violence and sexual violence. Idap (Integrated Domestic Abuse Programme) is a treatment program for male clients who have used threats, violence or other controlling behavior towards his female partner/ex-partner. The program is developed in Britain and is based on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and social learning theory. The program consists of nine different themes, where each theme contains three sessions. The clients are working together in a group and watch movie sequences about the concerned subject, which they discuss and analyze. Further, every participant will receive an assignment to describe a personal situation regarding the subject. The program aims to support clients to find positive alternatives to violence and controlling behavior, and give them the opportunity to practice this through exercises and roleplaying. ROS (Relationship and Cohabitation) is a cognitive behavioral therapy program with psychodynamic elements which is a treatment for male sex offenders. The program was developed in Canada and has been adapted to Swedish conditions. The clients are working together in a group or individually with five components, where each component contains 5-8 themes. Each theme is initially defined in a general and abstract level. Exercises, roleplays and homework assignments will, step by step, lead to a personal level for the specific client. In addition, there is a sixth component, self-management, where the client do an individual risk analysis of recidivism, write his own autobiography and abuse analysis. Based on this, the client will write a risk management plan where he will develop a strategy for how he will prevent recidivism after the release.

Are prisoners provided with family counselling or family psychotherapy?

The PPS do not have any resources for offering family members help in that way but there are other social functions that are responsible for offering such help.

What other kind of interventions does your Prison System undertake regarding support to maintaining (enhancing and improving) family relationships of prisoners?

An individual sentence-implementation-plan is established for each client. This plan is based on an investigation of the client’s need for support, control measures and other measures that should be implemented to reduce the client’s risk of relapsing into crime after the release. In this work the PPS also look at the client´s network, for example family and friends, to asses in what way contact may have a good or bad effect on the client. Regarding support to maintaining contact the client may, after a risk assessment, be granted furlough regularly so that he or she can visit his or her family at home. When it comes to clients who has been abusing their partner it may be a risk if the partner/ex-partner and the client have visits. If the client participate in treatments, such as IDAP, shows progress and understand the consequences of his actions, the PPS might dissolve the restrictions regarding their contact. However, in must cases visits and phone calls will be supervised to ensure the partner´s safety.

Are there Family Liaison Officers in your Prison System?

There is no Family Liaison Officers per se. However, every prison and probation office in Norway has a child coordinator who also caters for the need of family relations. Some prisons offer programs in parenting.

What is your visiting and phoning policy?

Guidelines for the Norwegian Correctional Service (section 3.34) state that the prison governor determines how often an inmate may receive visitors and on which weekday visits shall take place. It also follows from the guidelines that as far as practicable, prisoners shall be granted a minimum of one visit per week. Each visit will normally last for at least an hour. Extended lengths of visits should be considered if special circumstances exist, for example, if family members do not have the opportunity to visit the prisoner often due to long travelling distances, illness, old age or similar. Extended visit length and / or more frequent visits will also be considered by visits from prisoners' children if such visits are considered to be in the child’s best interest. All visits are scheduled and must be booked by the visitor in advance. All visitors must be on the prisoners visiting list and they must also provide identification when they attend the prison. For persons on remand in custody, the same rules shall apply as far as it is compatible with decisions regarding restrictions or isolation pursuant to the Criminal Procedure Act.

Is there any „customer-service" type training provided to staff operating the security scanner and to those officers supervising visits?

How to treat visitors is part of the education all prison officers receive at University College of Norwegian Correctional Service. The Governor of a prison is responsible for ensuring that all visitors to that particular prison are treated in a correct and professional manner.

Who and how and is regularly supervising children visits?

Prison officers receive training in interaction with children as part of their education at University College of Norwegian Correctional Service. Officers are normally dressed in uniform during the child visits. In Norway the Correctional Service does not train volunteers, but we cooperate with various NGOs which offer support measures to inmates and their relatives.

Does your Prison System provide a standard training/program on parenting for prisoners who are parents?

"Dad in prison" is a program for inmates with children that primarily focuses on the role of being a father. It is intended to help participants develop new perspectives and attitudes related to their commitment to the family. The program is conducted over a period of 4 weeks and includes meetings where the family participates, and an assignment where the prisoner shall communicate with his kids via video. Some key elements of the program are • Communication • Developmental theory - child development • Role theory - roles and role models • Emotions - how to deal with emotions - coping • Challenges and problem-solving • Children's health - prevention and treatment • Children's rights - parental responsibility • Public services – whom to work with VINN is a program that is aimed at female offenders and has a number of modules where especially relationships with children and/or partners are handled. Anger management program is offered to men and women and is based on cognitive therapy, a recognized form of treatment to regulate emotional disturbances such as anxiety, depression and anger.

Does your Prison System provide a standard training/program on improving family/partner relationships to prisoners?

A program is under development.

Are prisoners provided with family counselling or family psychotherapy?

The NGO "Organisation for Families and Friends of Prisoners" (FFP) has a time limited project which offers family counselling in three prisons (Ringerike, Halden og Trondheim). The Correctional Service is in dialog with the Norwegian Directorate for Children, Youth and Family Affairs about a collaboration to offer inmates family counselling.

What other kind of interventions does your Prison System undertake regarding support to maintaining (enhancing and improving) family relationships of prisoners?

Many prisons arrange tours on the prison area so that children can see how their mother or father lives, included school, work and leisure activities. Some prisons facilitate for parents to read bedtime-stories for their children through various means of communication.

Are there Family Liaison Officers in your Prison System?

No.

What is your visiting and phoning policy?

Every prisoner is allowed to get a maximum of two hours visits monthly. If the visitors are relatives the prisoner could get extra time (two hours/month) for the visits. If the visitor is a child under 18 years, the prisoner could get a further extra time of two hours/month. That means in total 6 hours for visits in a month. In every prison are phone cabins (on every department where the holding-cells are) and the prisoners could talk to their families and friends during the leisure time. The frequency depends on the money on the prisoner account. The calls were not supervised. The Ministry of Justice decided to install phones in the holding-cell therefore it's possible for the prisoners to call their families from their own holding-cell. In special cases or for foreign prisoners it's possible "to visit" the families via Skype. This is a good option for prisoners who have their families abroad.

Is there any „customer-service" type training provided to staff operating the security scanner and to those officers supervising visits?

No.

Who and how and is regularly supervising children visits?

We have no special training for staff to supervise children. The officers are dressed in uniform during the children visits. There aren't any trained volunteers for supervising the children.

Does your Prison System provide a standard training/program on parenting for prisoners who are parents?

In two prisons they have special training programs on parenting for prisoners. The training is leaded by an external family counseller and supported by staff. The topics are: being a parent, responsibility, the needs of children. At the end of the program the prisoners have to organise a family visit including games and activities for their children.

Does your Prison System provide a standard training/program on improving family/partner relationships to prisoners?

No.

Are prisoners provided with family counselling or family psychotherapy?

The new penal law has a family-oriented approach and every prisoner has the right to speak to a family counseller or therapist if it's necessary.

What other kind of interventions does your Prison System undertake regarding support to maintaining (enhancing and improving) family relationships of prisoners?

The prisons organise special events for prisoners and their children for example: christmas baking in the prison bakery, puppet-theater, magical show.

Are there Family Liaison Officers in your Prison System?

In Croatian Prison System there is no Family Liaison Officers, but treatment staff is dealing with family issues of prisoners in frame of Individual Plan of Sentence Enforcement and in cooperation with Welfare Centers and Probation System. Treatment officers encourage prisoners to have contact with their family and provide support for the maintenance of family relationships.

What is your visiting and phoning policy?

Child’s right is to visit incarcerated parent every week and holidays for at least one hour. Prisoner’s right is to receive visits from family members twice a month and holidays for at least one hour. As a benefit, a prisoner can receive approval for longer and more frequent visits including those with spouse which are not supervised depending on the success in Individual Plan of Sentence Enforcement and regime conditions of prison. Frequency and duration range of visits varies from once a month in the duration of two hours (closed conditions) to three times in the duration of five hours (open conditions). Prisoner's right is to have minimum of 10 minutes phone call weekly to family with no differences regarding children. In closed regime, depending on success in Individual Plan of Sentence Enforcement, phone calls can be extended from additional 10 minutes per week up to 30 additional minutes per week. Upon request to inmates can be approved a one-time telephone conversation with institutions and organizations for the protection of human rights. Calls to these numbers as well as calls to a lawyer are not counted into the permitted weekly duration of the call what is, unfortunately, not the case with children's calls. In the closed regime calls are supervised. In semi-open and open regime, calls are not supervised and prisoner is allowed to make phone calls depending on his balance, maximally up to the daily amount of money from an inmate's free disposal which not exceed the amount established for per diem of civil servants. All costs of family visits are at family member's expense and costs of phoning are at the prisoner's expense. In justified cases, upon the request from the prisoner, warden can approve a phone call to a family member at prisons expense.

Is there any „customer-service" type training provided to staff operating the security scanner and to those officers supervising visits?

We do not have such kind of training. In the basic training for security staff is one small topic on needs of children when visiting their parents with the aim of sensitization of officers to contribute to the child friendly atmosphere during visits.

Who and how and is regularly supervising children visits?

Security staff is supervising all visits, including children visits. There is no training provided to staff regarding interaction with children on regular basis, but in the Project leaded by NGO Parents in action - Roda, there was provided training for treatment and security staff from female penitentiary which aim was to enable staff to facilitate children's visits through different activities among children and their parents (creative activities, social games and alike). In some prisons, during special celebrations, officers do not wear uniform, but this is exception rather than a rule. We do not have trained volunteers included in children's visits but we consider to have such an opportunity in the future through collaboration with NGO's.

Does your Prison System provide a standard training/program on parenting for prisoners who are parents?

Croatian prison system has in 2013. developed the "Prisoner as a parent" program for prisoners. Program is carried out by specially trained treatment and security staff in the prison system, according to the "Handbook for implementation of the PaP program". The program aims to promote parental competence of prisoners who, in the supportive environment of workshops through experiential and group work, share their parenting experiences and also learn and acquire new skills and reinforce responsibility for their own parenting processes, for the quality of the relationship with the child and for maintaining family ties. This program rests on the fact that parental competence is largely based on a learned behavior and that it's improving is possible by learning. Its aim is to encourage the active, positive and responsible parenthood of inmates, one that is in the best interests of the child. Program also provide the necessary assistance and support to inmates regarding separation from their children during the term of the sentence. It consists of 14 workshops. Prisoners gain the certificate upon finishing the program.

Does your Prison System provide a standard training/program on improving family/partner relationships to prisoners?

There is no special training on improving family/partner relationships but for this purpose is useful „Training on social skills“ which took part in all prisons and penitentiaries. It consists of 16 workshops. Prisoners gain the certificate upon finishing the program.

Are prisoners provided with family counselling or family psychotherapy?

There is no family counseling of family psychotherapy on regular basis, but prisoners can turn to psychologist or psychiatrist for support also regarding the family issues.

What other kind of interventions does your Prison System undertake regarding support to maintaining (enhancing and improving) family relationships of prisoners?

All prisons and penitentiaries organize different activities during visits on the holidays, Family Day, European Prisoners’ Children campaign, such as: creative workshops for parents and children, special occasion workshops on parenting for prisoners, presentations, film projections, puppet plays, musical performances from both outside performs and prisoners, group photo for prisoner and his family. Leaflets with advice on parental issues are also available and prisoner writes articles in the Prisoner’s newspapers. We have reading program, developed and implemented by NGO Parents in Action - RODA, in which mother/father records her/his voice on DVD while reading a book for a child. DVD “Together in a world of stories” with a personal note and with the book is sent to a child as a gift. The child could listen his parent's voice while reading the book at home with support of the other parent or family member. In cooperation with NGO's, especially with the NGO Parents in Action - RODA, in the activities of the project "ma#me", financed by the ESF, workshops were held with the staff of the prison system according to the manual, "Child of the prisoner as a motive for changing practices". Aim of those workshops is to train the staff to support creative and purposeful use of time during children's visits to their parents in prison. The staff considers education and manual very useful, especially regarding proposals of specific activities of spending time with a child and templates material for such activities. The manual, which is attached to this query, in the chapter "Child's visit to the parent in prison", deals with the following topics: „Approach of the staff to the child“, „Quality time during a child's visit in prison - what this actually means?“, „Drawing as a function of communication“, „Accordion – drawing“, „Island“, „Our picture book“, „Balloon of feelings“, „Gift for the child“, „Doll in the function of communication“ and „Fairy Tales in the function of communication“. The chapter "After the prison's visit" is dealing with the diary in the function of self-assessment.