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Guidance

HMP Hatfield Families and significant others strategy

This strategy outlines how we support prisoners in our care to develop meaningful and constructive relationships with their family or significant others.

From:
HM Prison and Probation Service and HM Prison Service
Published:
29 October 2026

Applies to England and Wales

You can find visiting information and book a visit on the Hatfield Prison main page.

Our commitment to you

HMP Hatfield is committed to helping our prisoners and their families to keep in contact with each other.

Families in relation to this document includes blood relatives and legal or significant persons that are identified as a next of kin (for care-leavers this may be someone that provides a statutory service).

In 2017, Lord Farmer published a review highlighting the importance of working with families in reducing crime and the risk of individuals returning to prison.

We are committed to working to implement the recommendations from this review along with any recommendations for Children and Families from other sources such as the managing quality of prison life (MQPL) survey, HM Inspectorate of Prisons, the Independent Monitoring Boards and others.

Our Head of Reducing Reoffending is our family and relationships lead. They have responsibility for ensuring that we do what we say we will do.

Our Family and Relationships ‘champion’ is a custodial manager.

The job descriptions are available on request.

If you have any suggestions, or comments, please contact us via email hatfield@prisonadvice.org.uk or Outwork.Hatfield@justice.gov.uk   

Why is this important to us?

There is a wide acceptance of the need for family and relationship services for our prisoners and their families from the following:

HMP Hatfield know that family members and relationships may also feel the effect of the imprisonment of someone close to them.

Those left at home can be worried about that person in prison and to want to know how to:

  • help them get through their sentence
  • keep them in contact with their children, siblings and other family members
  • help them succeed in substance misuse rehabilitation
  • help them with mental or physical health difficulties
  • prepare them for release and integration back into their family groups

We understand that families can play a huge part in helping our prisoners through their time in prison and to contribute positively to supporting them to remain offence free in the future.

We also know that not all family relationships are positive.

Family members may sometimes be the direct or indirect victims of a prisoner’s offence such as domestic abuse and substance addiction.

And we know that family relationships in these circumstances can be strained and in some cases have been severely damaged.

We have a family team which meets 4-times-a-year. The team brings together people from different organisations we work with. This helps us ensure that our services are always improving and meeting the needs of our prisoners and their families.

This team includes:

  • Children and Families Pathway Lead (HMPPS) - Head of Reducing Reoffending
  • Safer Custody representative (HMPPS)
  • Family Engagement Manager (PACT)
  • Healthcare Liaison (Practice Plus UK)
  • Prison Offender Manager (Probation officer/HMPPS)
  • Education Manager (HMPPS)
  • Outwork / Activities manager (HMPPS)

Support and services offered

HMP Hatfield is based across 2 sites.

The main prison is just outside Thorne and Hatfield.

The Lakes site about 3.5 miles away and next door to HMP Lindholme.

New prisoners (receptions) come to the Lakes site first. After assessment they move to the main site.

Both locations have a variety of services and initiatives to support our prisoners and their families and relationships.

Letters

Our prisoners can receive any number of letters.

And we encourage them to write letters to maintain family contact.

They can apply for one free letter each week, plus additional free letters for each child that they have under 18.

Free letters can also be provided for specific purposes such as arranging housing, employment, legal proceedings and so on.

Prisoners can buy writing materials from the prison canteen. We also provide education classes for those wishing to improve their writing skills.

Our postal address is:

HMP Hatfield
Thorne Road
Hatfield
Doncaster
DN7 6EL

Email a prisoner

Families and friends can also make contact through ‘Email a Prisoner’.

Email a prisoner is quicker and cheaper than sending letters through the post. Our prisoners usually receive their email the day after it has been sent.

When emailing, please state if you would like your family member or friend to be able to reply to your email. This is something that they can do free of charge

Telephone calls

Personal Identification Number (PIN) Telephone Calls

Our prisoners can have up to 20 cleared, domestic phone numbers that they can call using a prison ‘PIN’ phone.

Our prisoners can buy phone credit with their earnings and/or money sent to them (private cash).

Calls can be made 7 days a week between 8:30am and 10pm.

In-cell telephones on D wing better support family contact.

All telephone calls made from our PIN phones are recorded and may also be live monitored. This is to ensure that we are meeting our obligations to public protection and the security of the prison.

Our monitoring systems are regularly inspected by the relevant authority to ensure that we are complying with the strict laws that are applied in this area.

Concerns for prisoners

If you have concerns about the safety or wellbeing of anyone at HMP Hatfield:

Calls, where possible, should include the full name of the prisoner that you have concerns about as well as a contact number so that we can call you back to update.

Release on temporary licence

Release on temporary licence (ROTL) is used extensively at HMP Hatfield to maintain and build family links.

The types of ROTL licences that are available are:

  • resettlement leave
  • day and overnight release
  • special purpose license.

ROTL can only be granted following the completion of a successful risk assessment and eligibility process. Once approved, prisoners can access one day release and one period of overnight release a month.

At HMP Hatfield, on average, prisoners collectively complete more than 5,500 social ROTLs per year successfully.

Prisoners who are eligible apply for access to their ROTLS by submitting an application to their Prison Offender Manager (POM).

The primary focus of ROTLs is always around resettlement and the maintaining of family ties and in their application to take ROTL.

Our prisoners have to provide a schedule of activities while on ROTL that shows how they are best using this time with their family or significant other to maximum benefit and effect.

Our Offender Management Unit (OMU) takes the lead on the risk assessment process for ROTL with external community offender managers (COMs).

Family days

Family days are designed to be welcoming and supportive.

There are activities for prisoners and their families to join in with as well as time and space to sit and relax together and the opportunity to enjoy a meal together.

We aim to hold 4 themed family day events throughout the year, usually in school holidays.

These are very popular and the feedback from them from both visitors and prisoners has been very positive, both in terms of quality family time and fun.

Prisoners can apply by our internal process.

Families are also invited into the establishment for ‘Employment Celebration’ events.

Run by our Outworks team, these involve employers recognising prisoners for success and achievements while working out of the prison.

This gives families the opportunity to celebrate these accomplishments together with employers and the Outwork team.

Visits

We currently have visits sessions available at both sites on the following days:

  • Hatfield site: Saturday and Sunday – afternoons between 2 and 4pm
  • Lakes site: Friday, Saturday and Sunday – afternoons between 2 and 4pm

There is plenty of room for cars at the main Hatfield site.

Parking space is very limited at the Lakes site, but visitors can use the Lindholme visitors car park.

Lockers are available to store items before entering the prison.

Visit our main Hatfield prison page for more details about booking a visit (GOV.UK).

Secure video calls

Secure video calls can be booked at the Lakes.

You our main Hatfield Prison for more details about secure video calls (GOV.UK)

Visits rooms

The visits rooms at both sites are large and open spaced with seating arranged so that prisoners can enjoy their visiting times comfortably.

We encourage prisoners to play and interact with their children. There are play areas at both sites as well as other toys and board games.

The visits rooms contain a ‘Tea Bar’, operated by trained prisoners, where visitors can buy snacks and drinks (cash only).

We have areas so those who wish to ‘breast feed’ in private so can do so comfortably.

We know prison environments can be difficult, and visits halls can be noisy and intimidating. To help support neurodiverse children and adults we have rooms in both visits halls that provide a range of sensory aids and distraction packs. These help to stimulate the senses and helps reduce anxiety.

It’s important to us that we create an inclusive environment for all. We will make every effort to accommodate individual needs as we want every visitor to have a positive experience when visiting us.

For visits to remain a positive environment, although routine searching prior to visits is not usually required, there are circumstances relating to everyone’s safety and security where you may be asked to comply with a search.

Any visitor who is deemed to be abusive, threatening or unfit to visit could, in some cases have their visit declined or terminated, including being asked to leave.

For prisoners that don’t receive visits, we can offer additional support that can be one-to-one basis, if required.

Family engagement manager

To support prisoners and their families and relationships we have a part-time family engagement manager who is employed by our partner the Prison Advice and Care Trust (PACT).

PACT can be contacted on 01302 524 648 or via email at Carra.Grayson@prisonadvice.org.uk 

The family engagement manager works with families and their relationships to try and maintain good communication links and to help in cases where the relationships have broken down.

They can provide support one-to-one with our prisoners to assist them with child-related problems, They will refer on cases where additional work is needed.

They can also provide support in contacting school, social care, family court and other agencies who may be involved with prisoners and their families or significant others.

PACT will also run workshops and in-cell support books across the year for prisoners identified in need of this.

Cafcass

Cafcass is the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service.

It is an independent organisation in England that works to safeguard and promote the welfare of children involved in family court cases.

Cafcass advises the family court on what is in the best interests of the child, ensuring their voices are heard and their needs are prioritised.

Our family engagement manager (see above) is our point of contact for Cafcass.

Storybook Dads

Our prisoners can record themselves reading a book that they can send to their child.

This is done through our library provider.

It is really useful in strengthening the bond between them and their child.

Care leaver support

Assessing care leaver status is part of our induction interview.

Our prisoner offender managers will work with our prisoners on an individual basis to ensure that care leavers rights are obtained.

They can assist talks by care leavers associations, and peer support groups for prisoners who are care leavers.

Prisoners in crisis

Sometimes our prisoners need extra support from prison staff and their family and significant others.

Where appropriate, and with the prisoners permission, those recorded as family or relationships will be informed and/or invited to attend/contribute to support meetings.

Family members will be asked to attend due to their knowledge and experience, as in times of crisis this can be invaluable.

Time out for Dads

This course is run by Chaplaincy.

It is from Care for the Family and gives information and ideas to help fathers engage with their children.

It helps to increase skills and confidence as a parent and to improve relationship with their children.

Young Adult Strategy

The Young Adult Strategy (YAS) provides a clear vision for improving outcomes and experiences for young adults (aged 18- to 25 inclusive) in custody.

It also helps to support the rehabilitative culture, which HMP Hatfield has long had established.

Usually, around 10% of the population at HMP Hatfield are this age

We know there is significant crossover between young adults and experience in care.

So, it is important that we measure and support this specific group of prisoners and that outcomes are comparable with our other age profiles and groups.

This strategy will work in conjunction with the YAS strategy and care leavers support to ensure that we meet our stated aims.
Young adults are always on the agenda of the FSO meetings and the Young Adult lead is invited to attend.

Safeguarding measures

Safeguarding strategy

To support our prisoners and to ensure that we protect the public from abuse and neglect, we operate within the national HMPPS Child Safeguarding policy framework (GOV.UK).

The strategy is jointly owned by the Head of Residence and OMU Senior Leadership team.

Where concerns are evidenced, there is a clear duty to investigate and escalate the concerns so that they can be fully addressed.

What we have achieved

  • We have completed our visitors surveys in June and December and welcomed feedback.

  • We held 2 celebration employment events for prisoners who had been successful in their employment on release on temporary licence (ROTL). Families were welcomed to attend and celebrate the success of their loved ones.

  • We continue to help support prisoners and their families in maintaining their family ties as our family visits continue to be extremely popular; we are also looking to improve the experience for those attending moving forward

  • In line with our reading strategy, books have been provided to families on visits on Family days. In November we also had a visit where dads could pass reading books out to their children on visits. We also had an author come and read their book to the children on one of the family visits.

  • We have developed 2 sensory rooms both at the main site and the Lakes site. These allow for parents with neurodivergent children to go somewhere quieter on a visit.

  • HMP Hatfield ‘X’ page is up and running @HMPHatfield where we provide regular updates for families as well as success stories.  

  • 64% of prisoners from HMP Hatfield in 2025 to 26 had a job 6 weeks after release. 87% of prisoners from HMP Hatfield had a job 6 months after release.

You said, we did

At HMP Hatfield we listen to your feedback. We recognise that we can often improve and seeking feedback is important.

From our Family and relationships and visits forums and visits surveys 2025 to 26.

Here is what we have done:

  • You said: given that prisoners aren’t allowed to attend the coffee shop counter during visits, you would like menus to be put on the tables. We did: Menus have been printed and placed on the tables in visits at both sites.

  • You said: you asked for more activities for children in visits. We did: We have provided additional colouring materials at both sites. Extra board games have also been ordered. There is also a games table at both sites.

  • You said: you would like to see quiet room in visits for families with children with neurodiversity needs. We did: Sensory rooms in the Lakes and main site visits have been redecorated and are now available for use.

  • You said: You would like to see more employment events where families can come and celebrate success in the workplace. We did: We have committed to a minimum of 2 celebration employment events a year which families are encouraged to attend.

Our focus for the year

  • We are continuing to explore, how we can create a more diverse and engaging family days, to build on the success of current family days.

  • Continue to include families in a wide range of celebration events.

  • PACT to continue with induction process that was introduced at the Lakes.

  • Provide safeguarding and Family and relationships training to upskill staff.

  • Track individuals who are struggling to maintain family ties and see if support can be offered. Provide fair and equal access to opportunities to engage with family and significant others for individuals with protected characteristics.

How we will measure our success

  • Families and relationships meeting.
  • Reducing reoffending meeting.
  • Prisoner family needs questionnaire.
  • Prisoner managing quality of prison life survey.
  • Performance measures.

Staffing structure

  • Overall oversite of family and relationships - the Governor
  • Family and relationships lead - Head of Reducing Reoffending
  • Family and relationships champion - Resettlement Custodial Manger
  • Care experience and looked after children lead
  • PACT family engagement Manager
  • Neurodiversity manager

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