Make a Referral

There are two ways a child can come to us. A parent or carer can contact us directly, or an organisation can refer a child with the family’s consent.

If you are a parent or carer

You do not need anyone to refer your child. Get in touch, and we will have a friendly conversation about your family’s situation and whether our support is right for your child.

If it is, we will ask you to complete two short forms: one telling us about your child, and one covering your consent and how sessions will work. Then we will match your child with a mentor and agree a time that suits you.

There is no cost, and no obligation to continue if it turns out not to be right for your child.

If you are an organisation or a school

We welcome referrals from schools, charities, prison and family services, and anyone else working with families affected by imprisonment.

Before referring, please make sure the parent or carer has agreed to their details being shared with us. Then contact us, and we will let you know if we can take the referral and what information we need.

Where an organisation refers to us regularly, we put a short written agreement in place covering how referrals work, what information is shared, and safeguarding responsibilities on both sides. Just ask, and we will send it over.

Make a Referral Now

What happens next

  • We talk with the parent or carer about the child and what they need.
  • The parent or carer completes our registration and consent forms.
  • We agree how sessions will run, including online safety arrangements.
  • Sessions begin, and we stay in touch with the family throughout.

If you are worried a child is at immediate risk of harm, please contact your local children’s social care team or call 999. We are not an emergency service.