All visitors will need to be given a pat-down search, including children. You may also be sniffed by security dogs.
Standford Hill has a family-friendly dress code policy, which means visitors should wear smart clothes (no vests, no low-cut tops, no shorts, no short dresses and no headwear, other than that worn for religious reasons).
There are strict controls on what you can take into Standford Hill. You will have to leave most of the things you have with you in a locker or with security. Prams, pushchairs or car seats can be taken into the visiting hall along with a baby bottle with milk. Before your visit, you can get permission to bring in family photos but must take them home with you. A child can bring in their school books.
You will be told the rules by an officer at the start of your visit. If you break the rules, your visit could be cancelled and you could be banned from visiting again.
Visiting facilities
There are children’s play facilities available during your visit.
The care of children under 18 is the responsibility of the visitor so must be supervised at all times.
Family days
Family Days are run 6 times per year. These are themed events and can be applied for by the prisoner via the family team in resettlement.
Keep in touch with someone at Standford Hill
There are several ways you can keep in touch with a prisoner during their time at Standford Hill.
Secure video calls
To have a secure video call with someone in this prison you need to:
Prisoners do not have phones in their cells 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.
Men can use the phones anytime between 6am and 10pm.
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 Standford Hill using the Email a Prisoner service. You can also attach photos and the sender can pay for a reply sheet.
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 Standford Hill.
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 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
Prisoners can make an application to have items sent in to them as specified on the facilities list. They can also purchase goods from a range of catalogues and can have property handed in on visits, if the visitor applies prior to the visit.
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.
Make sure to include the person’s name and prisoner number on the parcel.
All parcels will be opened and checked by officers.
Life at Standford Hill
Standford Hill is committed to providing a safe and educational environment where men can learn new skills to help them on release.
Security and safeguarding
Every prisoner at Standford Hill has a right to feel safe. The staff are responsible for their safeguarding and welfare at all times.
When a prisoner first arrives at Standford Hill, their property will be listed. 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.
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 prisoner arriving at Standford Hill gets an induction that lasts about a week. During this week, each prisoner is given a timetable where they can 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
Transitioning into open conditions can be challenging for some prisoners so all have access to Samaritans ‘Listeners’ and induction peer support workers.
Accommodation
Standford Hill is an open prison and holds over 450 prisoners. It has 3 wings made up of single cells. Each wing has access to telephones, communal areas with pool and snooker tables, dart boards and cooking facilities.
Education and work
The main prison focus is for prisoners to work out in the community. They do repairs or are in paid employment towards the end of their sentence.
In the prison, an education department offers a range of full and part-time learning and vocational training opportunities. Prisoners can take part in further and higher education on site, through distance learning, the local college or on day-release to universities.
Much of the employment throughout the prison involves peer advisors to encourage learning and responsibility, whenever possible.
Temporary release
Release on temporary licence (ROTL) is the cornerstone of a resettlement plan. Each prisoners needs are considered on an individual basis. They are kept fully informed of
their progress and their family members have a vital role in its success.
Prisoners are eligible for ROTL on arrival at the prison. Eligibility requires risk assessment processes to be applied before any unaccompanied ROTL takes place. These processes can take up to 12 weeks to make sure each ROTL is both individually appropriate while ensuring public safety.
ROTL can be used for resettlement, day release to maintain family ties, work, training and education. Resettlement overnight release is used for getting prisoners back into the community while maintaining their family ties.
A special purpose licence can be used for compassionate family emergencies or medical reasons.
Family services at Standford Hill are provided by PACT.
Contact the family service worker in the resettlement department on Wednesdays and Thursday, 10am to 11:30am. They are also available during weekday visits. If you need to speak to them, call 01795 884 777.
Concerns, problems and complaints
In an emergency
Call 01795 884500 if you think a prisoner is at immediate risk of harm. Ask for the Orderly Officer and explain that your concern is an emergency.
Contact category
Phone number
Additional information
Non-emergency
0800 6920170
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.
Updated booking line opening times for family and friends visits, now Monday to Friday, 10am to 3pm.
26 November 2024
Updated visiting facilities and family days.
15 February 2024
Opening hours updated for visits booking telephone line.
14 December 2022
Added legal visits booking line and time slots.
14 December 2022
Updated visits booking line number
2 August 2022
Secure video calls update.
1 April 2022
Updated visiting guidance based on 1 April COVID rule changes
17 March 2022
Added link to new safer custody information under Security and safeguarding.
7 January 2022
Updated visiting information: Testing for visitors aged 12 and over.
27 August 2021
Updated physical contact guidance
8 June 2021
Updated social visits booking line opening times.
26 April 2021
New visiting times and booking information added.
9 April 2021
Prison moved into National Stage 3 framework and is now preparing to open visits for family, friends and significant others. We will update this page with specific visiting information as soon as possible.
21 December 2020
visit update
4 December 2020
Updated visiting information in line with new local restriction tiers.
2 December 2020
Updated visiting information in line with new local restriction tiers.
6 November 2020
Updated visiting information in line with new national restrictions in England.
23 September 2020
Updated visiting information in line with coronavirus restrictions.
1 September 2020
Updated visiting information in line with coronavirus restrictions.