Book and plan your visit to Brinsford

To visit someone in Brinsford you must:

• be on that person’s visitor list
• book your visit at least 2 days in advance
• have the required ID with you when you go

You can book 28 days in advance to visit most prisoners, or 14 days in advance for prisoners on remand. You must give at least 2 days notice if you want to book or change a visit.

Prisoners can have up to 3 visitors aged 10 or older at a time, and 3 children under 10 for any visit.

Children aged 17 or under must be accompanied by an adult who is on the prisoner’s approved visitor list.

There may be a limit to the number of visits a person can have. You can check this with Brinsford.

Contact Brinsford if you have any questions about visiting.

Help with the cost of your visit

If you get certain benefits or have an NHS health certificate, you might be able to get help with the costs of your visit, including:

• travel to Brinsford
• somewhere to stay overnight
• meals

How to book family and friends visits

You can book your visit online or by telephone.

Telephone booking line: 0300 060 6500

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The booking lines are open:

• Monday to Friday, 10am to 3pm

Visiting times:

• Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, 2pm to 4pm
• Wednesday and Friday, no visits

Booking slots are allocated to specific wings each day. This will be explained upon booking.

How to book legal and professional visits

Legal visit times:

• Monday to Thursday, 8:45am to 12pm and 1:45pm to 4pm

Video link times:

• Monday to Friday, 8:45am to 12pm and 1:45pm to 4pm

You can book your visit by telephone, 0300 060 6500
Line opens Monday to Friday, 9:15am to 12pm and 1pm to 4pm
Find out about call charges

Getting to Brinsford

Find Brinsford on a map

Brinsford is about 6 miles from the closest railway station, Wolverhampton. Local buses run from the station to Featherstone but you will need to walk the last mile to Brinsford. Any visitors arriving by bus should let the visitors centre know on the day in case of potential delays. Alternatively, you can take a taxi.

To plan your journey by public transport:

• use National Rail Enquiries
• use Traveline for local bus times

If you are travelling by car, use the postcode WV10 7PY in your sat nav.

There is a visitors car park next to the visitors centre, which includes disabled parking spaces.

Entering Brinsford

All visitors, aged 16 or older must prove their identity before entering the prison. Read the list of acceptable forms of ID for all visitors.

All visitors will be given a pat-down search, including children. You may also be sniffed by security dogs.

There are strict controls on what you can take into Brinsford. You will have to leave most of the things you have with you in a locker or with security. This includes pushchairs and car seats.

You will be told the rules by staff in the visitors centre at the start of your visit. If you break the rules, or your behaviour is unacceptable your visit could be cancelled and you could be banned from visiting again.

Dress code

Visitors should dress appropriately. Please note the below applies to visitors from secondary school aged, regardless of gender.

• no tops or dresses showing cleavage
• no tops showing mid-riff when both sitting and standing
• no tops showing mid-riff when both sitting and standing
• skirts, dresses, and shorts must be knee length
• no play suits
• no ripped jeans, ripped shorts, ripped leggings, or ripped trousers
• no outside jackets, body warmers or hooded clothing. All coats, jackets and hooded clothing must be placed in a locker outside the visits room after being searched
• visitors wearing more than one pair of trousers of any kind will be refused entry
• no sunglasses to be worn
• no hats of any description. are allowed, except for religious headwear

Visiting facilities

• There is a visitors’ centre run by PACT. There will be light refreshments available to purchase during your visit.

The centre is open from 12:30pm on all visiting days.

Family days

Family days visits are available once every 2 months.

Keep in touch with someone at Brinsford

There are several ways you can keep in touch with someone during their time at Brinsford.

Secure video calls

To have a secure video call with someone in this prison you need to:

• Download the Prison Video app
• Create an account
• Register all visitors
• Add the prisoner to your contact list.

How to book a secure video call

Secure video calls at this prison can be requested by prisoners only.

You will receive a notification if a prisoner has requested a video call with you.

Read more about how it works

Phone calls

Prisoners have phones in their cells but these cannot receive incoming calls so they will always have to call you. They have to buy phone credits to do this.

They can phone anyone named on their list of friends and family. This list is checked by security when they first arrive so it may take a few days before they are able to call.

You can also exchange voicemails using the Prison Voicemail service.

Officers may listen to phone calls as a way of preventing crime and helping keep people safe.

Email

You can send emails to someone in Brinsford using the Email a Prisoner service.

You can also attach photos and receive replies.

Letters

You can write at any time.

Include the person’s name and prisoner number on the envelope.

If you do not know their prisoner number, contact Brinsford.

All post, apart from legal letters, will be opened and checked by officers.

National Prison Radio’s Family and Friends request show

National Prison Radio broadcasts into prison cells across England and Wales 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 

Family and friends can stay connected with their loved ones in prison by sending song requests, written messages and voice recordings. They are then read and played out on weekly episodes. 

You can send in a message, and hear the show, at  nationalprisonradio.com

Send money and gifts

You can use the free and fast online service to send money to someone in prison.

You can no longer send money by bank transfer, cheque, postal order or send cash by post.

If you cannot use the online service, you may be able to apply for an exemption - for example if you:

• are unable to use a computer, a smart phone or the internet
• do not have a debit card

This will allow you to send money by post.

Gifts and parcels

People in Brinsford are given a list of approved items that they can order through a catalogue system. You can send them money for this.

Prisoners can also apply to have their own clothes sent to them. If you receive an approved clothing application, you can send in clothes. You should include a copy of the approved application in the parcel. Make sure to also include the person’s name and prisoner number on the parcel.

All parcels will be opened and checked by officers.

Friends and families of prisoners are permitted to send books directly to their loved ones, or can order books from approved retailers, which can source and send the books on to prisoners.

For the full list of approved retailers, you can read the HMPPS Incentives Policy, Annex F.

Contact Brinsford for more information on what’s allowed.

Life at Brinsford

Brinsford is committed to providing a safe and educational environment where prisoners can learn new skills to help them on release.

Each person is supported based on their specific educational and personal needs.

Security and safeguarding

Every person at Brinsford has a right to feel safe. The staff are responsible for their safeguarding and welfare at all times.

For further information about what to do when you are worried or concerned about someone in prison visit the Prisoners’ Families helpline website.

Arrival and first night

When someone first arrives at Brinsford, they will be able to contact a family member by phone. This could be quite late in the evening, depending on the time they arrive.

New prisoners will spend their first night in a dedicated first night centre where staff are specifically trained to support people through the transition to prison life. They will get to speak to someone who will check how they’re feeling and ask about any immediate health and wellbeing needs.

Induction

Each person who arrives at Brinsford gets an induction on a specialised unit that lasts 3 days. They will meet professionals who will help them with:

• health and wellbeing, including mental and sexual health
• any substance misuse issues, including drugs and alcohol
• personal development in custody and on release, including skills, education and training
• other support (sometimes called ‘interventions’), such as managing difficult emotions and offending behaviour programmes
• information about day-to-day life at Brinsford and how to make the best of their time there

Everyone also finds out about the rules, fire safety, and how things like calls and visits work.

Accommodation

Just under 600 prisoners are at Brinsford across 5 units. Many prisoners get their own cell. Prisoners on the ‘enhanced’ behaviour level can apply to be in unit 5, where cells include a shower.

Prisoners have access to a gym, sports hall and outdoor pitches and can take part in a varied programme of work and education activities.

Brinsford also has a diverse, multi-faith chaplaincy team providing support to prisoners.

Prisoners and staff work together to make sure that everyone at Brinsford takes care of each other and their environment. Levels of cleanliness and hygiene are important.

Brinsford has a prisoner council. Representatives attend regular meetings and share information with other prisoners. They can also raise issues on their behalf.

Education and work

Prisoners have access to education and training provided by NOVUS. A range of academic and vocational courses are provided based on the needs of our prisoners.

Brinsford offers a wide range of activities and work roles based on personal development and employability skills. Activities include:

• domestic duties
• cleaning duties
• kitchen
• gym
• chapel
• library
• gardens
• painting parties
• careers advice
• painting and decorating
• cookery
• industrial cleaning
• music
• construction services
• physical education
• industrial packing
• catering

As a key partner with the local chamber of commerce, Brinsford is continually assessing local projects to expand employment opportunities.

Brinsford also runs a number of accredited offending behaviour programmes.

Temporary release

Prisoners at Brinsford may be eligible for release on temporary licence (ROTL). This is assessed on individual factors and circumstances. ROTL can be used to prepare prisoners for employment and release. Success on ROTL can lead to other benefits, such as weekend home visits.

Brinsford also operates the Home Detention Curfew (HDC) early release scheme. Prisoners who are eligible for HDC will be told when they can apply for this. Approval for HDC will be based on things like behaviour, meeting sentence plan targets and having a suitable home to go to. If prisoners do not have access to a suitable home, they can still apply for early release using accommodation provided by our partners BASS.

Support for family and friends

Find out about advice and helplines for family and friends.

Support at Brinsford

The visitors centre at Brinsford is run by PACT.. Trained, experienced staff are available during visit sessions to help families. They will also give people information about the range of support services available in the local community.

The team includes a dedicated family engagement worker and a child support worker who have specific roles. These roles include child activity and community support, as well as help for prisoners in repairing difficult or damaged family relationships.

Call or ask in the visitors centre for more information.

Telephone: 01902 533 540
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Concerns, problems and complaints

Contact category	Phone number	Additional information
Non-emergency	01902 533565	Call this number if you have concerns about a prisoner’s safety or wellbeing which are serious but not life-threatening or complete a safer custody contact form on the Prisoners’ Families Helpline website.
Staff Integrity Hotline	0800 917 6877 (24 hours answering machine)	This number can be called anonymously. If you are concerned about a prisoner being bullied by a member of staff, you can use this number. As this line is managed separately from the prison, you can call this number anonymously.
Prisoners’ Families Helpline	0808 808 2003	The Prisoners’ Families Helpline can provide confidential support, advice and guidance.
Unwanted Prisoner Contact	0300 060 6699	If a prisoner is contacting you and you want them to stop, you can use the Unwanted Prisoner Contact Service. You can complete the Stop prisoner contact online form, email unwantedprisonercontact@justice.gov.uk or contact by phone.

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Problems and complaints

If you have any other problem contact Brinsford.

Inspection reports

HM Prison and Probation Service publishes action plans for Brinsford in response to independent inspections.

Contact Brinsford

Governor: Amanda Hughes

Telephone (24 hours): 01902 533 450

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Address

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