Pact Packets are a brand new collection of downloadable, printable resources to support children, families and prisoners throughout the Coronavirus crisis.

Each of the resources below can be downloaded and printed at home in black and white, so you can pick and choose which activities you'd like to make up your own Pact Packet. There are puzzles and brain-teasers, drawing and writing challenges and - bonus - we've also created dedicated Pact Packets containing 21-day challenges for children and teenagers to complete, along with some activity booklets suitable for all ages.

We'll be adding to these resources over the coming weeks and months and sharing best practice and ideas from other organisations - so bookmark this page and do keep checking back. 

We've also put together some resources to help Pact staff - and other key workers - to support prisoners throughout this difficult time. For more information on the Pact Packets for prisoners, please get in touch with us. 

While prison visits are suspended, you can find the contact details for our individual family support teams, and the most up-to-date information we have, in our digital visitors' guides for each prison.

Pact Packets

• 21-day Superhero Challenge - aimed at younger children but suitable for the young at heart
• 21-day Journal Challenge - aimed at older children/teenagers but suitable for adults
• 'Coming Home' - a resource to support people with a partner being released from prison earlier than expected as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic. There is also a 'Coming Home' booklet designed to support prisoners in this situation.

Create-your-own Pact Packet resources 

• Adult activity booklet. A 16-page booklet containing lots of puzzles, brain-teasers and activities for adults or older children.
• Brain-teasers booklet. All of our brain-teasers collected into one handy booklet, suitable for older children and adults.
• Daily Writing Challenge (Days 1- 10). Originally developed by the team behind #PennedByAPrisoner at HMP Brixton, this collection challenges you to write something on a different theme each day for ten days.
• Daily Writing Challenge (Days 11-20). The second installment of the Daily Writing Challenge.
• Daily Writing Challenge (Days 21- 30). The third installment of the Daily Writing Challenge.
• Drawing Challenge 1. Originally developed by the the team at HMP Brixton, the collection challenges you to draw something on a different theme each day for ten days.
• Drawing Challenge 2. The second installment of the Daily Writing Challenge.
• Easter activity book. A collection of activities for children, themed around Easter.
• Finding print on a walk. This is an activity to help parents/carers support children to read and write. As you walk or drive around your area, you can help your child to ‘spot’ print in all sorts of places.
• Letter paper. A simple lined sheet that can be used as a template for letter writing. 
• Origami booklet. A 12-page booklet containing detailed instructions (and pictures) of how to create a variety of origami (paper-folding) creations, for all ability levels.
• Sports quiz. A general knowledge quiz including rounds on football and a 'Who am I?' picture round.
• Stretching booklet. A run through of some simple stretches that you can do at any time, anywhere.
• Thinking of you. This is a sheet for children to complete about a loved one, with lots of questions to answer about that person.
• What can we see through the window? This is a game that parents/carers can play with their children to support their reading and writing. 
• Word wall. This is a sheet of a wall template that children can use to record words that remind them of a loved one.

Other resources

We're also collating useful resources from other organisations to share here. If you've seen anything that would be helpful for us to share more widely, please let us know.

• Twinkl Home Learning Hub. Twinkl have created home learning and school closure packs that you can access completely for free online, including a COVID-19 time capsule.
• COVID-19 and Parenting. A resource from Parenting for Lifelong Health to support parents during the pandemic.
• The Children's Commissioner for England has produced this children’s guide to Coronavirus to help explain the situation. It aims to answer children’s questions, tell them how to stay safe and protect other people, and help them make the best of their time at home.
• mywellread.com is a free website with great stories and conversations for 8 - 11 year olds to help parents look after their emotional and mental wellbeing.
• The NSPCC has trained online counsellors available 24-hours a day by email or via an online form. You can also call 0808 800 5000 if you are worried about a child. 
• If you are a child and want to speak to someone about how you're feeling or if you're worried, you can call Childline on 0800 1111. They also offer a toolbox of activities to help you cope with how you're feeling.

Find out more

• If you have any questions about the prison system, or just need some information or support, remember you can contact the Prisoners' Families Helpline:
  • Call 0808 808 2003 (9am - 8pm Monday to Friday and 10am - 3pm at the weekend).
  • Email [email protected].
  • Complete a contact form at www.prisonersfamilies.org and a member of the Helpline team will get back to you.
• You can also read the latest Government guidance on Coronavirus and prisons. This page will be updated regularly, as and when new information becomes available.