A CHARITY which supports families whose loved ones are sent to prison has issued its own “manifesto for change” ahead of this week’s General Election in a bid to force improvements to the justice system.

North-East based Nepacs said that despite having committed no offence themselves family members were often left isolated and bewildered by the current system.

It has now issued a 16-point action plan which it said if implemented by an incoming Government would make it easier for children and families to visit a loved one in prison and help to maintain family ties during a sentence.

It would also give visitors and relatives more information about prison, the procedures they need to follow, and the support that is available to them.

Changes demanded include a Government funded family support worker for every jail, involving families in sentence planning; decent healthcare for prisoners; prisoners to be placed as close to home as possible; consistent visitor centre services across the country and prisons to contact family members to confirm safe arrival of a loved one in custody.

The manifesto will be sent to MPs and Police and Crime Commissioners.

About 10,500 people visit the North-East’s six closed prisons each month, including more than 2,000 children.

Nepacs, which has staff and volunteers working to provide services within prisons and also at courts in Durham and Teesside, estimates that at any one time 4,300 children in the region have a parent in prison serving a sentence.

Its chief executive Helen Attewell said: “From the moment of arrest, throughout the court process and throughout the sentence families feel the impact of imprisonment. Despite having committed no offence themselves, those left behind can find themselves feeling isolated and bewildered by a system of which they have little or no understanding, and urgently requiring help and support.

“They may also experience social isolation and stigma as well as emotional, physical, financial and social wellbeing problems.”

She added: “We know the important role of families in the rehabilitation of prisoners. It may not be fashionable but supporting prisoners’ families and helping to maintain prison ties is essential for the children and the families and concerned and the prisoner and society as a whole.

“Therefore the needs of families of prisoners needs to be considered and services or support put in place to help them survive the sentence and overcome the many difficulties they are facing.”