The LGBT+ Network for Change has had to contact the CEO of the UK Prison & Probation Service (HMPPS), Ms Jo Farrar further to its experiences of engagement with Portland Prison on LGBT support issues across a number of months. The revelations on the real state of the UK prisons and young offender institutes (YOIs) where LGBT, and especially LGBTQ, inclusion, safety, and mental health in HMPPS institutes have been extremely important, on showing the nature and scale of the challenges involved. The Network is very pleased to be engaged in support in this area to all those in UK prisons and YOIs who are LGBT or LGBTQ, both staff as well as inmates/residents.
We have through the formal representation to the CEO of HMPPS raised both major concerns about some aspects of the prison referred to and Avon & South Dorset HMPPS communication & support requests experience encountered by the Network, and on the other, some very positive experiences and opportunity for HMPPS enabled through our work.
We will provide more specific particulars here or on a follow up news article soon, but are pleased to confirm that formal confirmation of receipt of our representation has been received by the Network from the office of the HMPPS CEO.