Good Practice in Family Support
Case 1: Our Family Support Coordinator for North Strathclyde supported the father of a prisoner to apply for a Blue Badge (disabled parking), following recent treatment for throat cancer. The prisoner was the main carer for his father prior to his imprisonment, carrying out daily tasks such as cooking, cleaning, shopping, and walking the dog. Our Family Support Coordinator was also able to support the father to attend his GP and be referred occupational therapy for an assessment of his needs, enabling him to live as independently as possible in his own home. Providing this support and information enabled him to access services and support he was not previously aware of. This enhanced the quality of his life while providing his son with peace of mind in the knowledge that his dad was managing in his own home.
Case 2: Our Family Support Coordinator for South West Scotland supported the mother of a prisoner who was a repeat offender with addiction and mental health issues. The mum required support to enable her to understand her son’s mental health and addiction problems and support him in his local community. As a result of the prisoner engaging with the New Routes mentor, he had been stable for a period of time, and his mother wanted to support her son to maintain his stability in the community. The Family Support Coordinator was able to link with the New Routes mentor and share information. This support provided the mother with the relevant and appropriate information with regard to her son’s addiction and mental health issues. The relationship between mother and son benefited from this additional support, with the son able to secure his own tenancy and engage with the relevant support services in his community upon release.