Visits and family contact
Women can easily maintain contact with their families and the outside world. Visits take place in a clean, respectful and safe environment.
73. Women can maintain contact with the outside world through regular and easy access to visits.
The following indicators describe evidence that may show this expectation being met. They do not exclude other ways of achieving it.
- Women are able to receive social visits lasting a minimum of two hours every day, including evenings.
- The visits booking system is accessible and able to deal with the number and diverse requirements of visitors, including those who are not fluent in English.
- Volunteer visitor groups are actively supported by the centre and their existence is publicised.
- Extended visits are facilitated on the basis of need.
- Women’s visitors are given information about how to get to the centre, visiting hours and details about what to expect when they arrive.
- If public transport stops some distance from the establishment, transport arrangements are in place to assist visitors.
74. Women can maintain good contact with their families. The impact of separation on both children and their parents is recognised and addressed.
The following indicators describe evidence that may show this expectation being met. They do not exclude other ways of achieving it.
- Welfare casework helps women to maintain contact with their families and children, wherever they may be located.
- The impact on women of separation from children and families is explored with them and addressed as far as possible, for example through video calling or private visits.
- Women’s families and friends know how to share concerns they have about a detainee and how to seek support.
- The visits area and any visitor centres have activities to keep children entertained.
- Search and entry processes are child-friendly.
75. Women and their visitors are able to attend visits in a clean, respectful and safe environment which meets their needs.
The following indicators describe evidence that may show this expectation being met. They do not exclude other ways of achieving it.
- Visits areas are comfortable and comparable to a normal family environment.
- Visitors are treated with respect and courtesy by centre staff.
- The searching of women, visitors and their property is proportionate to risk and conducted in a way that is sensitive to religion and culture.
- Women and visitors are not barred from bringing documents into the visits room, other than on the basis of a risk assessment.
- Visitors are not subjected to excessive security checks.
- Visitors’ personal bio-data is only taken, used and retained in accordance with guidelines from the Information Commissioner’s Office.
- Women and their family members are allowed appropriate physical contact in the visits room.
- Visitors and women are able to give staff feedback on the visit, suggest improvements and, if necessary, complain using an accessible complaints procedure.
- Visitors can buy a range of refreshments during visits.