Prisoners' families & children Prison visitors' guides HMP Wormwood Scrubs If you need support: You can contact the Pact Family Workers at HMP Wormwood Scrubs directly by filling in this form. You can also email the team at HMP Wormwood Scrubs directly by emailing [email protected]. For more information, support and advice on all aspects of the justice system, you can contact the Prisoners’ Families Helpline on 0808 808 2003 (9am – 8pm Monday to Friday and 10am – 3pm at the weekend). See some information that needs updating? If you notice anything that is incorrect on this page, please contact us on [email protected]. Any further information can be found on the prison website at justice.gov.uk/contacts/prison-finder/wormwood-scrubs or you can ring the main switchboard on 020 8588 3200. *** Address: HMP Wormwood Scrubs PO Box 757 Du Cane Road London W12 OAE Governor: Amy Frost Head of Operations: Carolyn Taylor Pact Worker Contact: You can contact Pact at this prison by emailing [email protected] or by completing this contact form. HMP Wormwood Scrubs has produced a Gateway Companion booklet with information on what life in prison is like under normal circumstances. Please note: this booklet does not reflect how the prison runs with COVID-19 measures in place. Visitors’ Centre Telephone: 0208 735 0595 Lines open Monday – Friday from 08:30 -16:30, Saturdays 08:30 – 17:00 and Sundays 13:15 – 17:00. Visitors’ Centre Opening Hours: Monday through to Thursday - 8.00 – 17.00 Friday – 8.00 – 12.00 Saturday - 8.00 – 17.00 Sunday - 13.15 – 17.00 FamilySpace is open to ALL families across London affected by the imprisonment of a loved one. Based at HMP Wormwood Scrubs Visitors' Centre, our team of trained staff and volunteers are on hand to offer a warm welcome and information on our latest courses, groups and activities - find out more. Visiting Times: Morning Session Afternoon Session Monday 09:30 - 11.00 14:00 - 16:00 Tuesday 09:30 - 11.00 No visits Wednesday 09:30 - 11.00 14:00 - 16:00 Thursday 09:30 - 11.00 14:00 - 16:00 Friday 09:30 - 11.00 No visits Saturday No visits No visits Sunday No visits No visits Booking a visit: To book your visit Telephone: 0300 060 6511 Online: www.gov.uk/prison-visits You will need: the name and date of birth of the person you would like to visit, their prison number, dates of births for all the visitors coming with you. Email: [email protected] All visits must be booked in advance. Only those visitors whose details have been listed on the Prisoner’s Authorisation Contact List (as provided by the prisoner) and those whom are named on the booking will be allowed entry into the prison. Prison staff cannot add visitor(s) to a Prisoner’s Authorisation Contact List without the consent and authorisation of a Prisoner. Adults and children must all have Identification; for more information regarding Identification, please see Identification Policy below. Who can visit? Visits will only be allowed by people who are symptom free, who have not been asked to self-isolate and who have not recently come into contact with anyone who has symptoms or is self-isolating. Visits will prioritise re-establishing face-to-face contact with close family members (or significant others) This may comprise of one of the following grouping combinations only: A single adult (aged 18 or over) who must be a partner, parent, foster-parent, grandparent, carer, or significant other Two adults (aged 18 or over): who must be two parents, two foster parents, two grandparents, two adult immediate relatives or significant other, or a mixture of these (e.g. a parent and a grandparent). A single adult (aged 18 or over): who must be a partner, parent, foster-parent, grandparent, carer or adult close relative or significant other and up to two dependent children (e.g. son, daughter) of the person being visited Two adults (aged 18 or over): who must be two parents, two foster parents, two grandparents, two adult immediate relatives or significant other1, or a mixture of these (e.g. a parent and a grandparent); and one dependent child (e.g. son, daughter) of the person being visited Visits will not therefore be allowed from: Any combinations of persons not from the same household with the exception of two parents of a child in custody Three adults Unaccompanied children (Exceptionally, at governor’s discretion over 16 will be permitted) People who are not closely related to the prisoner or identified as a significant other. Purple Visits HMP Wormwood Scrubs are offering video calls using software called Purple Visits. To use this, download an app called Purple Visits from the App Store or Google Play. The app will only work on a smartphone or tablet (not a desktop computer or laptop). Create an account in the app. You’ll need official government ID, for example a passport or driving license. You may also need to show proof of address (if it’s not on your ID) Add any additional callers that you want to be on the video call with you. Add the name, prison number and the name of the prison where the prisoner you want to have a video call with is. For further information regarding Purple Visits follow this link: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/visit-a-prisoner-using-a-video-call Family Support from Pact Pact family support will be available by email and you can access this by contacting [email protected]. If your issue is complex and you need to talk to us in person, please include your number in the email and tell us that you would like a call back - it would also be helpful if you could let us know whether we are able to leave a message if there is no answer - and we will aim to get back to you as soon as we possibly can. If you have urgent concerns about the welfare of your loved one in prison, please call the prison Safer Custody line directly. You can also contact the Prisoners’ Families Helpline for advice and support on all aspects of the criminal justice system: Call 0808 808 2003 (9am – 8pm Monday to Friday and 10am – 3pm at the weekend) Email the team on [email protected] Other ways to keep in touch Phone To speak to a prisoner on the phone, the prisoner has to call you using a prison phone. Prison staff can listen to and record most types of call. Some calls aren’t monitored, for example when a prisoner calls a legal adviser. Letters Letters to prisoners should be addressed to: HMP Wormwood Scrubs PO Box 757 Du Cane Road London W12 OAE (Prisoners name and prison number) You must write your own name and address on the back of the envelope or it will not be delivered to the prisoner. If you do not know the prisoners’ prison number, please address the envelope as above with the prisoner’s date of birth next to his name. Email Wormwood Scrubs uses a service called Email a Prisoner, which can be accessed at emailaprisoner.com Through this service, family and friends can send a message which is printed out and delivered by prison staff by hand. Once you have signed up, you will receive an activation link via email which you will need to click on in order to activate your account and send a message. You need to buy a minimum of £5 credit in order to use the service, which runs at a cost of 40p per email. Voicemail Family members and friends can sign up to Prison Voicemail at prisonvoicemail.com, a service which allows social contacts to exchange voicemails with prisoners. On signing up, you will be given a unique local landline number you can call at any time to leave a message; this message will be instantly available for your loved one to listen to. Prisoners can check their messages by dialling the same unique number from any phone in the prison and may leave a reply. When the message has been heard, the family member receives an instant text notification, signalling they may leave another message. In order to access messages, the prisoner pays the cost of a landline call, but the cost of the service itself is paid by the family or friend. Plans start from £5 per month. Secure Video Calls This prison offers a secure video call service called Prison Video. You will need to use the Prison Video app on your phone or tablet device to have a video call with someone in prison. The Prison Video app is available to download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store (or equivalent app stores outside the UK). HMPPS has produced a user guide and a list of frequently asked questions that will give you all the information you need to start using Prison Video. You can find this at https://www.prisonersfamilies.org/change-of-video-call-service Only people aged 18 or over can register for an account with Prison Video. You will need to provide your name, address, and date of birth, and upload photos of your ID and face. You will also need to add details of any other people who wish to take part in the video calls with you, such as children, and upload a clear photo of each participant’s face. You will need to upload ID for people over the age of 18 only, unless the prison specifically asks for anything else. Security checks You may be required to have your finger or thumb prints scanned as part of a security check. You may also have an iris scan. Sometimes you will be sniffed by security dogs. Make sure you wear clothes that are not contaminated by any form of drug as you will be returned to the Visitors’ Centre and will not be able to have your visit. You may also be searched by a prison officer (of the same gender). During your visit, officers will be with you throughout and will open and lock doors in front of and behind you at all stages. Identification Policy You will need to bring one or more forms of identification with you to all your prison visits. If you have photographic identification (ID with your name and picture on - for example, a passport or driving licence) then you will only need to show this one form of ID. You can find a list of acceptable types of photographic ID in List A below. If you do not have photographic identification, you will need to show two different forms of ID before you are allowed to visit. You can find a list of the acceptable forms of non-photographic ID in List B and List C below. If you do not have a passport or driving license you can order a citizen ID card that you can use. You can find out more here www.citizencard.com. You can also receive a 10% discount on your application by contacting [email protected]. [insert anchor – ‘List A’ here]List A: Acceptable types of photographic ID You can use any one of the following documents with your photograph on: Your passport. An identity card from a European Union (EU) or European Economic Area (EEA) country. A UK photocard driving licence. An Northern Ireland Electoral identity card. A United States passport card. A proof of age card recognised under the Proof of Age Standards Scheme (PASS)with a unique reference number. This includes the Citizen Card. You can also receive a 10% discount on your application by contacting [email protected]. An Armed Forces identity card A UK biometric residence permit (BRP). If you aren't able to provide one of the ID documents listed above, you will need to provide two different forms of ID – one from List B and one from List C. If you don’t have photographic ID you must provide one of the following ID documents: List B A Home Office travel document (convention travel document, stateless person's document, one-way document or a certificate of travel). An older person's bus pass. A Freedom Pass. Proof of age card recognised under the Proof of Age Standards Scheme (PASS) without a unique reference number. In addition to one of the above documents, you will also need to provide one of the items from the following list: List C Your birth or adoption certificate. An education certificate from a regulated and recognised educational institution (such as an NVQ, SQA, GCSE, A Level or degree certificate) A rental or purchase agreement for a residential property (signed and dated). Your marriage or civil partnership certificate. A bank, building society or credit union current account card (which has your name on it). Any combination of the above documents should be accepted, but you will need one from List B and one from List C Children’s Identification Policy Visitors will need to provide one of the following forms of identification for the child on a visit: birth certificate, Personal Child Health Record (also known as the PCHR or 'red book'). Dress code For security, health and safety reasons, some prisons have a specific dress code for visitors and others have a more relaxed policy, making assessments on a case by case basis. At the time we compiled this information, the dress code at Wormwood Scrubs was as follows: no ripped jeans, no bare flesh showing, no vests or belly exposure. No damaged clothing (irrespective of design) No revealing clothing Skirts and shorts must be longer than mid-thigh Midriff not visible No underwear showing Cleavage must not be excessively visible No clothing with covert pockets. No hooded clothing. This includes hooded coats This is not exhaustive and staff may make a judgement call on security grounds. What can I bring in for my children? Please note, some of these rules may have changed during the Covid pandemic. Please contact the prison to confirm. You are allowed to take in the following items for children: wipes, nappies, one clear bottle of milk for babies. Food and drink Please note, some of these rules may have changed during the Covid pandemic. Please contact the prison to confirm. A selection of snacks and drinks are available to purchase. You are permitted to bring up to £20 per visiting group (not per member of the group) to spend on refreshments. The canteen in the Visitors’ Centre provides cold and hot drinks and snacks. Hot food and sandwiches can also be purchased in the canteen inside the prison. If you would like to know more specific information on what you can bring, please contact the prison directly on the details at the top of the page. Money How do I send money to a prisoner? From 2nd November 2020 the way prisoners can send and receive money has changed. You can no longer send money by bank transfer, cheque, postal order or send cash by post to any prison. You’ll need to send money through the Money to Prisoners Portal using a debit card instead. The Money to Prisoners Portal service is free, secure and available in all prisons in England and Wales. To get started on the Portal you will need the prisoner's date of birth and prisoner number. If you cannot use the online service, you may be able to apply for an exemption - for example if you: are unable to use a computer, a smart phone or the internet do not have a debit card You cannot give money to the prisoner during a visit. Banned items Do not attempt to bring any of the following into prison during your visit: illegal drugs, alcohol, weapons, a camera, a mobile phone, indecent or obscene material, material that threatens the security of the prison, material that is written in code. If you are unsure what you can bring, contact the prison directly. Financial Assistance for Visits If you are on a low income or receive benefits you may be entitled to financial assistance for the cost of visiting your relative in prison. Help is provided by the Assisted Prison Visits Unit (APVU). For more information,https://www.gov.uk/help-with-prison-visits Sending Property to a Prisoner As of 31 July 2015, all property must be posted in; nothing can be handed in at the Prison. All prisoners are able to buy the items that they want/need through the approved suppliers, whose catalogues are available in the Prison. Any prisoner wishing to have property posted in must first make an application to Property Services in Reception; this means completing an application form. The application needs to include the details of all the property that he wishes to have posted in. Only once the application has been approved should the items be sent to the prisoner. Please note that any parcels received prior to the application being approved will be returned unopened. Photographs and postal orders must also always be posted in. Parcels to the prison can only be sent through Parcel Force. The prison will not accept Royal Mail parcels. Only court clothes can be posted in without the need for an application being made first. The parcel must be clearly marked as ‘court clothes’ and cannot contain any other additional items. Court clothes are defined as the following: suit trousers, shirt, jacket, tie, shoes, belt (no large buckles). Should there be any additional items within the package, it will be returned, and nothing will be passed on to the prisoner. Please note that court clothes are held in reception until the prisoner is actually going to court. Lastly, jeans, t-shirts and trainers will not be accepted as court clothes. A printable PDF version of this guide is available to download here: Wormwood Scrubs Safer Custody If you are worried about your loved one while they are a resident at this prison, you can contact the Safer Custody team on 0208 588 3216 (from 9am – 5pm Monday to Friday only). You may be asked to leave a voicemail. Please make sure you include: Your name. The reason that you are calling. The name of your family member/friend (and their prison number if you know it). Your telephone number (so that the prison can call you back). Please wait at least 24 hours for a call back before contacting the prison again. If you have a non-urgent concern about your loved one while they are resident at this prison please call the Prisoners’ Families Helpline on 0808 808 2003 (from 9am – 8pm Monday to Friday and 10am – 3pm Saturday and Sunday). · For more information about what to do if you are worried about your loved one in prison, or to share non-urgent concerns with the prison via an online form, visit HMP Wormwood Scrubs | Prisoners' Families Helpline. This guide includes information that you may find useful for the duration of the time your family or friend is a resident at HMP Wormwood Scrubs.