GovWire

Book and plan your visit to Standford Hill

To visit someone in Standford Hill you must:

• be on that persons visitor list
• book your visit in advance
• have the required ID with you when you go

At least one visitor must be 18 or older at every visit.

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

Contact Standford Hill 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 Standford Hill
• somewhere to stay overnight
• meals

How to book family and friends visits

You can book your visit online.

Standford Hill is currently operating a limited visits schedule for family and friends. You can book your visit by telephone.

Booking Line: 0330 058 8223

The booking line is open Monday-Friday, 9am to 4pm

You can also book your visit by emailing SocialVisits.StandfordHill@justice.gov.uk

Visiting times:

• Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday : 1:45pm to 3:45pm

How to book legal and professional visits

Booking Line: 0330 058 8223

The booking line is open Monday-Friday, 9am to 4pm

Legal visiting times:

• Friday: 9am to 10am, 10 to 11am and 11 am to 11:30am

Getting to Standford Hill

Find Standford Hill on a map

To plan your journey by public transport:

• use National Rail Enquiries. The closest railway station is Sheerness. You can get a taxi from there and it will take about 15 minutes.

• use Traveline for local bus times

There is parking by the visitors centre with Blue Badge spaces available.

Entering Standford Hill

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

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 will be no refreshments available during your visit.

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 currently no childrens 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.

There will be no refreshments avaiable during your visit.

Family days

Family Days are not currently available.

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

Secure video calling is available at this prison. Family and friends will need to download the Prison Video app, create an account, register all visitors and add the prisoner to their contact list.

Read more about how it works

Phone calls

Prisoners do not have phones in their rooms 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.

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 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 persons 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.

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

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 persons 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 person at Standford Hill 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.

All safeguarding processes are overseen by Kent and Medway Safeguarding Adults Board.

Arrival and first night

When a prisoner first arrives at Standford Hill, their property will be listed. They will be able to contact a family member by phone.

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