Oxfordshire support scheme for prisoners' children set to expand

The scheme is aimed at preventing the children of criminals becoming criminals too

A trial project that offers support to children with parents in jail is being expanded.

The scheme, which started in autumn 2021 in Oxfordshire, uses prison service data to make contact with the families of prisoners to offer help.

It was set up by the Thames Valley Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) after it found there was no statuary data when someone enters jail.

The scheme is now being rolled out over eight other counties.

Police forces are able to apply to HM Prison & Probation Service to find out when somebody gets released from prison - but there was no database for inmates when they first started a jail term.

Sgt Russ Massie, from Thames Valley Police and the VRU, and who helped create the scheme, said: "We're the first to set up a database of children affected.

"It's as simple as flipping the access point for the data but it had never been done before."

It works by sending police forces daily data for inmates in England and Wales.

If a prisoner is shown as having children officers phone the child's home and offer to send a police community support officer (PCSO) - in or out of uniform.

They are then able to offer support to the family via the Oxfordshire-based charity, Children Heard and Seen.

It aims to prevent young people with a parent in prison being drawn into future crime and anti-social behaviour.