Many people find the transition from prison life to life on the outside difficult. This is especially true for the people we work with, who are often deported to the UK after serving their sentence. Therefore, they are denied many of the programmes available to people who will be released into the country in which they are held.
Prisoners Abroad has a preparation for release programme to help people cope better with the transition from prison life to life on the outside. Starting about one year prior to release, we encourage prisoners to think about the practical and emotional steps they can take to make the transition easier.
Our Authorisation Form is the most important form for Prisoners Abroad. Signing and returning it is the only way for prisoners to register with us. Without registering with us, prisoners are not eligible to receive any of our services. This form allows us to discuss details of the case with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), and to store their details on our database. Please ensure you fill in the FCO Casebook number before passing forms to Prisoners Abroad, as we will need this number in order to communicate with the FCO, particularly about payments of funds.
When a person is due to be deported to the UK in the near future, our Needs Assessment Form helps us to have some idea of what the client's individual needs will be on their return. The more information we have about their circumstances, the more help / support our resettlement team will be able to provide.
There is a set of explanatory notes for how to complete the Needs Assessment Form, which should be given to the prisoner at the same time.
Our referral form is for completion by consular staff when registered prisoners have indicated that they will be contacting Prisoners Abroad upon their return in order to receive resettlement support. In order to provide an effective Resettlement Service and enhance the support available, Prisoners Abroad has to provide other agencies including health, housing and Department of Work and Pensions with verified information. Therefore the requested information aims to build a holistic picture of detainees’ risks, needs and situation upon their return to the UK.
‘Rebuild’ is the resettlement-themed newsletter, aimed at those returning to the UK after serving a sentence in prison abroad. Rebuild contains practical advice about how to prepare for release as well as a number of personal accounts of deportation and resettlement, written by people who have been through the process.
Download the latest copy, or read the stories of people reflecting on their sentence and talking about resettlement.
The Plan B leaflet highlights the importance of prisoners putting some thought and effort into preparing for their release. This is especially targeted at prisoners who, prior to their arrest, were long-term residents of the country where they are detained. Some may be in denial about the possibility of facing deportation from a country that they consider to be their home; doing nothing in this situation will place them at a huge disadvantage when they arrive in the UK. This leaflet talks through some of the basics that they need to consider.
Our Contact with Friends and Family Form is for prisoners to provide us with contact details of any family member / friend that they wish us to get in contact with. We will only discuss prisoners' cases with their family / friends if their contact details have been provided to us in this way.
For short-notice referrals, please click on our section below which gives information about Imminent Release. If someone is already in Immigration Detention, please tell them on first contact so we can ensure we send them relevant information about returning to the UK.