Families affected by the imprisonment of a loved one are often left feeling isolated, stigmatised by society and unsure of the future. The criminal justice system can be confusing and it’s not always obvious where to go for support. Every Step Together – Families First delivered by YSS aims to help reduce the emotional turmoil and anguish experienced by these families and provide a guiding hand to enable them to navigate the criminal justice system effectively and look towards a brighter future.
What is Every Step Together?
This service was created in November 2020 under the original name of Families First to provide support for families affected by parental imprisonment across Worcestershire.
In 2022 the service was expanded to offer support to families in Worcestershire with a close family member (parent, grandparent, sibling) currently going through the criminal justice system, from the point of arrest to prison release.
In 2026 we expanded into Herefordshire and changed the name of the service to Every Step Together to better reflect what we do: walking alongside families affected by the criminal justice system, from arrest to release.
Same team. Same values.
Just a name that tells our story better.
What can Every Step Together - Families First do?
Our aim is to ensure that every family in Herefordshire and Worcestershire affected by familial imprisonment, feels supported, informed and is given the opportunity to rebuild their lives and continue to thrive.
Every Step Together provides support and guidance in a safe space, to enable the whole family to cope with the demands of having a family member going through the criminal justice system.
For professionals working with families in Herefordshire and Worcestershire, Every Step Together can offer an initial joint assessment, to determine a families emotional and practical needs. Followed by an appropriate support plan, as well as signposting towards resources and activities for children and young people.
A Helping Hand for Families affected by the imprisonment of a loved one: Families First Handbook
This document is a collection of information found online from different organisations, government websites and scholarly articles.
The purpose of this pack is to provide families affected by parental or familial imprisonment with all the information necessary to navigate the criminal justice system and deal with their partner or family member going to prison.
To access the pack, please click on the link below.
From arrest to release, helping families feel less alone: An evaluation of a Worcestershire pilot support project for families affected by parental imprisonment
YSS commissioned the Children’s Research Centre at The Open University to undertake a two-year evaluation of the Families First projec.
The aims were to: investigate the extent and nature of familial imprisonment nationally; examine how the
YSS Families First (YSS FF) project was set up and implemented in Worcestershire specifically and raise public, media and stakeholder awareness of the scale of need nationally for supporting families with a parent in prison, and to lobby for policy change and funding.
There is a clear need for change to make sure that no family experiencing familial imprisonment feels alone. Read the full report and recommendations on our Report available below.
Meet the team
Olivia Gallacher- Every Step Together Practitioner
Hi, my name is Olivia and I am a Every Step Together practitioner here at YSS. My job is to support children and families who have a close family member going through the criminal justice system, from the point of arrest to prison release. The sessions I complete with children are fun and interactive and are often completed in school.
Want to find out more?
If you would like to make a self referral or a professional referral into this service, please use the Referral section of the website. Please select Families First as the preferred service. If you would prefer to speak directly to our Every Step Together practitioner, please email [email protected] or call 07719030643.
Ask us about this service
For further information, please contact us using the contact form or if you’d like to speak to a link worker, you can find the relevant contact details below.
Olivia Gallacher
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