New family support service for the East End

St Giles Trust is embarking on a family support service for families who have a family member in custody. Called Families in Touch, it will work in Tower Hamlets, east London, and provide practical help with issues such as prison visits, maintaining a family home, managing finances, parenting skills and support returning to work.

Having a member of family in prison can cause massive upheaval for the families and the offender themselves if they are the main carer. The project aims to provide support during times of need and keep families together. It is based on St Giles Trust’s highly successful Children and Families Enterprise project in Kent, which has provided intensive support to over 200 families since the project’s start in October 2006.