Having a loved one caught up in the criminal justice system can be a scary and confusing experience. We know that having someone to talk to who is impartial, empathetic and non-judgmental can be a huge help.
Pact runs the national Prisoners' Families Helpline, a free and confidential service which offers practical and emotional support, information and advice to anyone who is affected by imprisonment, in a straightforward, non-judgemental way.
Your advice and guidance has been invaluable. It’s a very frightening situation to be in and wonderful to know you are there.
- Helpline User
Contact us
You can reach the Helpline on 0808 808 2003 (freephone - including most mobiles).
The Helpline is open 9am – 8pm Monday to Friday and 10am – 3pm Saturday, Sunday and bank holidays (excluding Christmas Day & Boxing Day).
You can also email the helpline team on [email protected].
Who we are
Pact is a pioneering national charity that supports prisoners, people with convictions, and their children and families. We provide caring and life changing services at every stage of the criminal justice process: in court, in prison, on release, and in the community.
Pact’s vision is of a society in which justice is understood as a process of restoration and healing, in which prisons are used sparingly and as places of learning and rehabilitation, and in which the innate dignity and worth of every human being is valued. We work for the common good of Society, taking a public health-based approach. We work at the intersection of criminal justice, child and family welfare, mental health, wellbeing provision and health & social care.
Our volunteers and staff can be found in courts, prisons, probation services, and in communities across England & Wales. We are a diverse, inclusive, modern, and collaborative charity. We build effective partnerships and sustainable solutions based on our well-established understanding of the systems in which we work, and on our historic values and ethos developed through our 120+ years of service delivery.