Client, on release from HM Prison to bail hostel in West Wales - on life licence due to severity and nature of offence. Condition of licence is that she does not enter the whole area of Cardiff - if she does, it's back to clink pdq. Her mother has "care & control" of two children - ages 14 & 15 - and is in receipt of means-tested benefits (IS, etc.). Children want to visit mum - as mum can't visit them - but "Grandma" is concerned about cost . Can't access Assisted Visits Funds, as no longer in prison; most charities will either not "be appropriate" or want to make "one-off" payments; Social Fund is unlikely to be sympathetic and it's not visiting someone ill/ disabled (transport costs of CCG's), and again - even if I could force it through as a family under exceptional pressure, it will only work once. I think Aftercare/ Probation should stump up, but Social Worker (source of referral) says they are not keen. Any enlightening suggestions?
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