Surviving on the Outside: Getting Out of Prison

CRC has developed a range of fact-sheets about common questions and worries that people have when they get out of prison. These fact-sheets were written during COVID-19 when services were operating a little differently, but have information that should be useful at other times also.

Alcohol and Other Drug Use
Centrelink
Court
Disability Support
Family and Domestic Violence
Food and Clothing
Homelessness
Identification
Mental Health Support

There are also a number of support services (like CRC) who can work with you longer term to try and find some accommodation, but this can be a long-term process so it might well be that you need to find some short-term or crisis accommodation first.

There is a referral program called ‘Set to Go’ that allows you to book five nights temporary accommodation (TA) before you get out of prison. This used to be just for people on parole, but it is now available for all people in prison. If you are on parole, your community corrections officer should make the referral. If not, ask your SAPO or case manager. Sometimes people working in prisons haven’t heard of this program, so you might need to ask a few times! If you can’t get anyone inside prison to help you with this, call CRC on (02) 9288 8700 and we can try and work with you to get this organised before you get out.

It is a good idea to check with Link2Home directly how many nights TA you currently are able to access. You can always apply to have your time extended in TA if you don’t have anywhere to live. To do this you can contact Link2Home by phone (‍1800 152 152), or you can email the local housing office (if you have been given this email). If you have a case worker, they can also email a support letter for extension of your TA. If you are having problems extending your TA and you don’t have anywhere to live, please call CRC on (02) 9288 8700.

The Department of Communities and Justice has patrols that look for rough sleepers in areas where they often sleep, such as around Central Station/Belmore Park and Martin Place. They will work with you to find accommodation. This is a particularly risky time to be sleeping rough so even if you don’t usually like to access Government services, it may be worth giving it a try now.

Websites and Phone Numbers for Further Information
List of all NSW FACS/Housing offices: https://www.facs.nsw.gov.au/about/contact/housing/a-z
Renting during COVID-19: https://www.tenants.org.au/blog/renting-and-covid-19-information
Information for rough sleepers: https://www.facs.nsw.gov.au/providers/homelessness-services/updates/people-sleeping-rough-and-covid-19-dcj-and-homelessness-sector-response
Call Link2Home on 1800 152 152.

If you have a release date, have been in prison for more than 14 days, and you have been on Centrelink before, there is a system in place to organise getting your payment sorted before you get out.

If you have confirmed your identity with Centrelink in the past, they will be able to organise your payment by running through what is called ‘an alternate identification process’. If you have received Centrelink before but they do not have a record of your confirmed identification, you will still be able to receive a payment, but will need to confirm your identity with them once you get out. You will have six months to do this.

You will need to have details of a bank account that Centrelink can put money into when you call them.

You might need to ask for this, because it isn’t always something that Centrelink staff will offer. Signing this form allows up to 12 weeks for you to obtain the ID needed for Centrelink without your payments being suspended. A link to this form is here.

You can also contact the Centrelink Indigenous Call Centre on 1800 136 380 Mon – Fri, 8 am – 5 pm.

This can take a bit of time, so try and do this at least four weeks before you are due to get out. When choosing a bank account to nominate, it is best to make it someone in your family who you really trust. Later, when you are out and have had a chance to open your own bank account, you can change your details with Centrelink.

If you are not able to organise opening a bank account, and there is no-one else’s bank account you can use, it is also possible to request an EBT (Electronic Bank Transfer) card for your first payment. After this you can organise a bank account for following payments.

If you do end up getting out of prison with no Centrelink, you should go to a Centrelink office as soon as you can. You need to go in the first seven days after you have been released. You should take any identification that you have, your bank account details and your release papers. In the first seven days after you have been released if you are eligible for Centrelink payments you will also be eligible for a crisis payment.

If you are feeling unwell, do not attend Centrelink in person. Call Centrelink to ask how you should get started.

• Centrelink Phone self-service

136 240

• (24hr / 7 day)

• Centrelink reporting

133 276

• (24hr / 7 day)

• Online Services Support Hotline

132 307

Mon – Fri: 7 am – 10 pm, Sat – Sun: 10 am – 5 pm

Find more contact numbers for help here.

Jobseeker is for people who are looking for work.
Disability Support pension is for people with disabilities who have difficulty working because of their disability (there are strict eligibility criteria for this).
Youth Allowance is for people who are under 22 years of age, including people who are looking for work.

Payment rates for Jobseeker and some forms of Youth Allowance have temporarily increased since COVID-19 because of a new payment called the Coronavirus supplement. Payment amounts are different for different people so it is best to check with Centrelink about your own situation. The amounts below are an example of what you would receive if you are a single person, with no children, who is eligible for the full amount of Jobseeker (the old Newstart). The government have said that the coronavirus supplement won’t go beyond September 2020, which means the total amounts below will be halved.

The fortnightly payment for people on Jobseeker is $565.70. The Coronavirus supplement is $550 a fortnight, dropping to $250 a fortnight from 24 September 2020 until 31 December 2020.

This means that if you are eligible for Jobseeker, from April 2020 you will receive both of these, a total $1,115.70 per fortnight (or $815.70 per fortnight after 24th September). It can take a little bit of time for this to get sorted into a regular payment, and this can make budgeting your payments for the first few weeks after prison really challenging.

When you are released from prison you will receive a crisis payment. This is a one-off payment of approximately $280. At the same time as you receive the crisis payment you can elect to receive the first HALF payment of your Jobseeker allowance. Most people leaving prison choose to do this. At the moment this is $280 Jobseeker, PLUS $270 of the Coronavirus supplement (dropping to $125 after 24th September 2020).

This means that when you leave prison, there will be approximately $830 in your bank account.
Two weeks after that, you will receive the second half of your jobseeker payment which will be about $550 ($280 plus $270 of the Coronavirus supplement). This will need to last you another two weeks.

You will receive the full payment of $1,115.70 every fortnight as long as you meet the eligibility criteria. You will receive the higher Coronavirus supplement until the end of September, and the lower supplement after than until December 31st. After that, you will only receive the Jobseeker allowance rate of $565.70 per fortnight.

If you are on the full Disability Support Pension your rates of payment have not changed. On release you will receive a crisis payment of $470 PLUS $470 (which is the first half of your full payment). In total, you will receive $940. This will need to last you for two weeks. And then you will receive the second half of your first payment which will be $470. This will need to last you another two weeks. After that you will receive $940 per fortnight.

Remember, everyone’s circumstances are different. These are examples of two of the most common payment types. Centrelink will make decisions about what you qualify for based on how much money you have, whether or not you have any kind of work, whether or not you have kids, and whether or not you have a partner.

A lot of people are having problems looking for work during COVID-19 because there are not as many jobs as there once were. It is best to check directly with Centrelink about what your obligations are in terms of looking for work.

It is possible to write to Centrelink to ask for a six month exemption from looking for work if you have just been released from prison and are very stressed. There are also social workers at Centrelink that you can talk to about your situation.

It is not easy to get through on the phone because many people are trying to call Centrelink. It is a good idea to prepare yourself for a long wait, so make sure you are somewhere comfortable and safe, without too much background noise before you call.

• Call

132850

• for Jobseeker, Crisis payments or to ask to speak to Social Worker

• Call

132490

• for Youth Allowance

• Call

132717

for the Disability Support Pension

Council for Intellectual Disability (CID). If you have an intellectual disability, you can call 1800 424 065 to talk to someone about getting help. This number is free.

COVID-19 Disability Information helpline (The Australian Government Department of Social Services Helpline) 1800 643 787.

IDEAS Offers phone information for everything disability related: 1800 029 904

If you already receive the disability support pension then this will continue as normal during COVID-19. People who were already receiving the disability pension before March 2020, and people who became new recipients of the disability support pension between March 12 and 13th April (inclusive), also receive a one-off $750 Economic Support Payment. If you don’t think you have received this payment, you can call the COVID-19 Disability information helpline on 1800 643 787.

Phone numbers and websites for further information:
Centrelink Disability Support Pension line: 132 717 or https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/individuals/services/centrelink/disability-support-pension
https://www.ndis.gov.au/coronavirus/participants-coronavirus-covid-19
https://pwd.org.au/get-help/wayfinder-hub/

If you are asked to go into Births, Deaths and Marriages or Services NSW, take your Release Certificate. The Births, Deaths and Marriages Research Team can help you to get a copy of your birth certificate. If you are receiving Centrelink payments, you should be able to get a replacement Pensioner Concession Card. To get a replacement Medicare card you need to contact Medicare general enquiries on 13 20 11, or visit a Medicare service centre with other forms of ID.
If you have any other forms of ID at all, keep them safe as they may be useful. Examples include a citizenship certificate, bank card, TAFE ID card, home utilities bill from the past 3 months, any work-related licences.

If you were using in custody, you might need to detox to safely remove drugs from your body. If you have already detoxed, you may need more support so that you use less or don’t use again. The type of long-term support that is likely to work for you depends on your needs. You might want to get into residential rehab. This can be difficult sometimes because of a lack of beds. Recently some rehabs have also been taking fewer new clients because of the COVID-19 crisis. For some people, ongoing support and counselling in the community is easier to access than rehab.

CRC has an AOD counselling team that may be able to help you figure out what you want and talk through where you are at. You can call us on (02) 92888700 (between Monday and Friday). There are also many other services available and CRC staff can help you to find services in your area.

For support, and up-to-date information about which rehabs are open you can also call the Alcohol and Drug Information Service (ADIS) which is open 24 hours a day and 7 days a week on 1800 250 015

NUAA recommends the following (especially during COVID-19*) to reduce the risk of transmission:

• Avoid sharing: bongs, joints, pipes, cigarettes, banknotes/tubes/straws for snorting, and injecting equipment (including water).
• Prepare your own drugs and inject yourself! Don’t handle or touch other people’s equipment/drugs, and don’t let them touch yours.
• Picking up? Wipe the package with a swab or hand sanitiser before you open it – especially if it has been in someone’s mouth!
• Be overdose aware. Erratic drug supply, illness and stress increase your overdose risk.
• Take-home naloxone is now free at participating chemists and services – why not stock up now so you’re prepared?

*_{read more in Phone Numbers and Websites for Further Information}

There have been some changes recently during COVID-19 (such as different pick up times, or new rules around takeaways). It is best to speak to your provider to ask how they are currently working.

Alcohol and Drug Information Service: 1800 250 015

NUAA: (02) 8354 7343 https://www.nuaa.org.au/safer-using/safer-using
Opioid Treatment Line: 1800 642 428

AA: 1300 222 222
AA: https://aa.org.au

NA: https://www.na.org.au

*Information about harm reduction taken directly from NUAA’s COVID-19 and Harm Reduction Factsheet available here

Many of the usual charities are still providing meals during COVID-19. This is usually takeaway food only to allow for social distancing. This varies from area to area, so please call CRC for information about where to go in your area.

You might want to protect yourself by taking out an Apprehended Violence Order (AVO).

If police are called to a situation where you are a victim of domestic violence, they will apply for an AVO on your behalf. You will also automatically be referred to the Women’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Service (WDVCAS) which is a referral service that will telephone you, check you are safe and connect you to services that could help you. You can also call them on 1800 WDVCAS (1800 938 227).

You can also go to the police and ask them to apply for an AVO on your behalf if there has not been a situation where 000 have been called. Ask to speak to the Police Domestic Violence Liaison Officer as they have been trained to help you.

Another way to get an AVO is to apply through a lawyer:
The Women’s Legal Service (1800 810 784), Legal Aid (1300 888 529) or Wirringa Baiya (1800 686 587) or a private lawyer can apply for an AVO for you. You will need to tell them information about what has happened to you and that you are fearful of future violence and/or threats to your safety. You might need to show them evidence such as photos, text messages, social media messages or physical marks on your body, if you feel safe to do that.

Usually you have to go to court if there is an AVO being applied for to protect you, however this has been different recently because of COVID-19. It is best to check if you need to go to court, by calling one of the legal services numbers listed above. An AVO is not a criminal charge. It is a protection order. However, if the perpetrator breaches the order they can be charged with breach of AVO and this does become a criminal charge.

• Mudgin-Gal

(02) 9689 1173

• WEAVE

(02) 9699 9036

• Women’s Legal Resource Centre has an Indigenous Women’s Legal Contact Line – Phone:

1800 639 784

• Wirringa Baiya – Aboriginal Women’s Legal Centre Phone:

1800 686 587

• Women’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Service

1800 WDVCAS (1800 938 227)

1800RESPECT: (1800 737 732) https://www.1800respect.org.au/

Domestic Violence Helpline 1800 656 463

Women’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Service 1800 WDVCAS (1800 938 227)

Link2Home: 1800 152 152

NSW Domestic Violence Line: https://www.facs.nsw.gov.au/domestic-violence/helpline

Legal Aid Fact Sheets re AVO’s https://www.legalaid.nsw.gov.au/publications/factsheets-and-resources/covid-19/covid-19-apprehended-domestic-violence-orders

• BeyondBlue

1300 224 636

• NSW Health Mental Health Line

1800 011 511

These services have trained professionals available 24 hours, 7 days per week, who you can talk to about your mental health and get some guidance on what to do next.
If you have a family doctor (GP), they are also good to talk to as they can assess the best type of help for you and refer you to a variety of supports such as psychologists or community mental health services.

Phone Numbers and Websites for further information:

https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/get-immediate-support
https://www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au/

NSW Health support services contact list: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/mentalhealth/services/Pages/support-contact-list.aspx

BeyondBlue 1300 224 636
NSW Health Mental Health Line 1800 011 511
Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467

• • • Have difficulty sleeping
    • Eat more or less than usual
    • Feel sick, or have difficulty breathing
    • Feel agitated, restless or panicky
    • Find you don’t have the energy to do things
    • Feel negative, and that everything is too hard
    • Feel fearful that people know that you’ve been in prison
    • Find it hard to make decisions.

If you:

• • have these kinds of feelings without a break for three weeks or more, or

• • can’t do basic things like feed yourself or go to parole appointments because you feel so bad, or

• • just want help so you cope better,

Do you have ‘gate fever’?
It’s normal to feel anxiety or ‘gate fever’ as the date of your release approaches. This is more likely the longer you’ve been inside. As well as feeling excited about your release, you may also be feeling fearful that something will go wrong so that your release will be delayed, or that you won’t be able to make it once you’re released. You may notice physical signs of anxiety, like sleep problems or agitation.

Here are some tips about dealing with the emotional side of being released.

They don’t know where you’ve been.
You may feel like everyone can tell you’ve been in prison and that they have you marked out. But after a while you will realise that most people are too busy to pay much attention and you will gradually stop feeling so separate and different, and worried that people will find out.

It’s normal for people to look you in the eye.
In prison you learn to look away so no one will get the wrong idea, and think you want to take them on. It may feel uncomfortable when you get out when people look you in the eye, until you realise that they do it with everyone, and it isn’t about you.

You can’t take everything personally.
If something goes wrong, don’t assume it is because people had it in for you. Sometimes you have to tell yourself things like “they’re just rude to everyone” or “they’re just having a bad day” so you don’t get caught up in stuff and take everything personally.

You forget how busy and noisy things are.
Driving away from prison at 60kph may feel like speeding, and even crossing the road can be a challenge so take things slowly, and be careful, until you get used to it all again.

You have to stop watching your back.
You may have to unlearn lots of things you did in prison to make sure you were safe. When out in public, you may need to learn to relax, and not check everybody out to see where they are and what they are going to do.

Don’t push yourself too fast.
Pace yourself and don’t try to do everything at once.

It helps to get out of the house.
You may feel anxious around other people and not go out much. Try going out once a day, even just to go and get the paper, or go for a walk, and after a while it may get easier to go to more places and stay out for longer.

You have to learn to make decisions again.
This can be anxiety-provoking as inside, most of your decisions were made for you and you may be out of practice. Let others help you and try not to worry too much about getting things right all the time. It can take a long time to get used to having so many choices and deciding for yourself.

Getting help with anxiety and depression
If anxiety or depression are making it hard to get on with life, see a doctor. It may be helpful for you to take prescription medication for a period of time and/or to talk through your feelings with a doctor, a counsellor or health professional. Using drugs or alcohol may make you feel better for a brief time, but they don’t keep helping in the longer term.
Signs that you may be anxious include:

• • • Difficulty sleeping
    • Feeling restless and agitated
    • Feeling sick
    • Losing your appetite
    • Panic attacks (feeling sweaty, shortness of breath, heart racing).

Signs that you may be depressed include:

• • • Feeling continually sad and hopeless
    • Not being able to enjoy anything in life (it all seems ‘grey’ or pointless)
    • Having a lot of negative thoughts about life and yourself
    • Lacking motivation to do anything, even to get out of bed
    • Losing your appetite, or overeating
    • Being unable to sleep, or sleeping too much
    • Thoughts of suicide.

You can expect to have some of these feelings as you adjust to life outside. However, if you find these feelings go on for more than a couple of months, or become so severe that you’re unable to function properly (feed yourself, meet parole commitments, etc), then seek help. Talk to your doctor or a worker you trust.

Keeping your cool can help you keep your freedom. If you can find ways to avoid getting aggro with others, it’s worth it. It may help to:

• • • Remind yourself about what could happen if you lose it
    • Take time out
    • Take 10 deep breaths
    • Stay away from people or places where you get aggro
    • Find ways to relax and stay calm
    • Anger management courses can help you learn more ways to do this.

There’s plenty to be frustrated about when you come out of prison. Particularly in the first couple of months, you may find yourself under intense pressure. Things will go wrong, fall through, or take longer than expected. You may feel like you’re constantly hitting your head against a brick wall. If you ‘lose it’ and lash out at someone, whether it’s your partner, your kids, a worker, or someone at the pub who you think is looking at you the wrong way, the next stop may be the remand centre. Here are some tips from people who’ve found ways to keep their cool, even when times are tough.

Positive self-talk
Learn positive self-talk
You just get worked up if you let yourself think things like “they’ve got it coming to them”. Instead, say to yourself “I won’t let this get to me”, “I can handle this”, or just “chill”. Positive self-talk can help you to stay calm.

Think about the consequences
Think about what will happen if you lose your cool- there’s no way you want to lose your freedom. Then when you’ve walked away, give yourself a little pat on the back for keeping it together.

Time out
Sometimes you’ll just have to get away from the situation. Go for a walk until you feel calmer.

Take some deep breaths
If you take some deep, slow breaths, it can really calm you down. If you notice yourself getting worked up, because you start breathing faster, stop and take 10 slow, calm breaths.

Danger signs
Learn to read the warning signs, so you can get away from the situation, or if you can’t leave, try to slow things down. When you hear your voice getting louder, and start to feel hot and sweaty, you tense up so learn to stay in control, rather than letting your body take over.

True strength
Tell yourself that it takes a really strong person to be in control of their feelings and take charge of their life. If you let other people wind you up, you’re really just letting them run the show.

Be assertive
Be assertive, rather than aggressive. This means talking about what you want, without shouting at people or trying to scare them. You don’t have to use force to get your point across. It means you usually get better help from people because they listen to what you say, and don’t try to get you out the door as fast as they can.

Do things to help you relax
Working out can help you to feel better when you’re feeling aggro and if you do it every day, it can help you stay cool. Working out isn’t for everyone, but walking, swimming, or yoga should work the same way.

Be prepared
Try to think ahead and avoid problems. If you’re already feeling worked up, try to stay away from people and places where you’ll start feeling worse. If you know that you have to go somewhere that might stress you, take some time to relax first so you’ll have a clear head and a good attitude.

Small talk doesn’t happen much in prison, and once you leave it takes time to learn what to talk about, and how to chat. Having someone who can support you during the first months when you leave prison can really help. If you don’t have family or a friend who can do this, look for a support service that may be able to help.

If your aim is to go straight, you may not want to hang around your old mates, but you may feel like you don’t have anyone else. If you’ve got a mate who’s also wanting to go straight, you can support each other. If you need someone to talk to right now, ring Lifeline on 13 11 14 for 24-hour confidential telephone counselling.

Lots of people on release from prison feel isolated and lonely, especially if they aren’t living with family. Some people have ended up reoffending just to return to prison where they know people and don’t feel out of place. Meeting people and making friends is hard for most people, and it’s even more difficult when you’ve been in prison.

Your ‘prison self’
In prison you may have acted tough, hiding your feelings so that no one thought you were an easy target. Being like that protected you and helped keep you safe. But outside prison, behaving that way isn’t necessary and may scare people off.

What you need to ‘make it’ in the community is the very opposite of what cuts it inside. Being open and friendly is more likely to get you what you want than behaving as you would in prison.
To get to know people and make some friends you’ll have to slowly take a few risks and open up to people.

Small talk
Talking about the weather, the football or what you did on the weekend doesn’t happen in prison much. In fact, what passes for normal conversation in the general community can seem trivial and annoying when you’ve spent time in prison, where survival was the main concern. Learning what people in the community talk about takes time, and feels strange.

It will take time to get used to the different social rules that operate outside prison. Listen to other people. How do they start a conversation? What gets talked about? You’ll soon get the hang of it. Don’t forget that most people, ‘straight’ people included, feel shy or don’t know what to say from time to time.

Choose a support person
While you’re in custody, you can choose to have a meeting with a person who’ll be your key support when you get out. They could be a family member, trusted friend, or community member. Talk to people supporting you about your expectations for life on the outside, and follow this up with them when you get out.

Having someone to call when things get difficult can be a real help. Don’t forget that you can always call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

Old mates and new mates
A lot of people who want to go straight when they come out worry about seeing old associates from criminal or drug-using circles. They know if they hang around those people, there’s a strong chance that they’ll end up reoffending. On the other hand, if they don’t see any of their old associates, they’ll have nobody. At least with their old connections they feel comfortable and know the score.

There are no easy answers to this one. Building up a new circle of friends is not easy, but it can be done. Here are a few tips:

• • • Make it clear to your mates that you don’t want to fall back into old ways, but don’t rely on them to make it easy for you. People who are still using or breaking the law are more likely to want to drag you back down than wish you well in your new life. That’s reality. After all, if you succeed, they might feel uncomfortable about their own lives.
    • Be selective about who you keep in contact with. It’s not hard to tell who is good for you and who means trouble. Another person who’s also committed to staying out can be a great help. Build on your contacts with those people who you believe are likely to stay out and who are serious about going straight.
    • If you’re going to meet someone who still uses drugs, think about how and when you have contact. It might be better to see a person in a café rather than in their lounge room, where it’s all too easy to light up that bong or have that hit.
    • Form a relationship with a support worker you can trust. Although workers are professional people who are paid to help you, a real bond of trust can develop.
    • NA, AA and other 12-step programs have a ‘sponsoring’ system in which more experienced members of the program provide support and guidance to newer members. If you have drug or alcohol problems, attend a meeting and see if there’s someone there you like. They may be able to sponsor you. Contact AA on (02) 9799 1199 or NA on 1300 652 820 for a referral to your nearest meeting.

See www.succeedsocially.com/meetpeople for some good ideas about meeting new people

Finding something positive to do
If you have spent a long time involved with crime and other people who are offending, it can be hard to find other, more positive things to do after you have been released. Being involved in pro-social things like sports and hobbies can be a good distraction, help you to meet new people and get fit. See the NSW Sports and Recreation website for many different kinds of sporting organisations.

Financial counsellors can help if you owe lots of money. They can often talk for you to people you owe money to. Financial counsellors can help you sort out affordable payments, and set up a budget. Contact the National Debt Hotline on 1800 007 007 to find a free financial counselling service near you.

Many people who come out of prison find they owe money for unpaid bills, old fines, etc. A lot of people put off dealing with debts, but this can make it worse in the end because many creditors will keep going until they get the debt paid. By then interest and penalties may have made the debt a lot bigger than it was in the beginning.

If you find yourself in a lot of debt when you get out, ring the National Debt Hotline on 1800 007 007. They can help you sort out your money and find a financial counsellor. Financial counsellors can talk with the people you owe money to, and work out arrangements you can afford. They can often get creditors to come to an agreement, even where you haven’t been able to get the creditors to listen. They can sometimes get the amount you owe reduced.

For help dealing with Revenue find your local community legal centre by calling (02) 9212 7333, or visit this website. Or talk to a financial counsellor.

You may be eligible to reduce your SDR debt by doing community work or attending certain programs if you have a disability, are homeless, drug dependent or experiencing severe financial hardship. This is called a Work and Development Order (WDO). Check the Service NSW website for more info.

You can call the financial counselling helpline on 1800 007 007 Monday to Friday 9.30am to 4.30pm

If a Public Guardian has been appointed to help with decision-making on your behalf the Guardian should be involved with your pre-release planning.
Ph: (02) 8688 6070 or 1800 451 510 free-call from outside Sydney.

Salvation Army1300 371 288
St Vincent de Paul Family Assistance Hotline1800 606 724
Wesley Mission
Anglicare

You can also contact the Energy & Water Ombudsman NSW (EWON) for help. EWON can assist with payment plans, disconnections, high bills and rebates that you may be eligible for.
EWON can be contacted on 1800 246 545 or by email at complaints@ewon.com.au

Beware of fines
Be especially aware of fares and rules with public transport as fines can add up quickly. Contact the Credit and Debt Hotline if you need help sorting out unpaid fines.
Public transport in Sydney and surrounding areas means that you need to have an Opal card. The area covered by the Opal card system is between the following points around Sydney:

• • • Blue Mountains to the west of Sydney

• • • Bondi in the east of Sydney

• • • Goulburn to the south of Sydney

• • • Scone to the north of Sydney

If you don’t use public transport very often, you can buy an Opal single journey ticket, but if you use trains, buses or ferries a lot, it is usually cheaper in the long-run to get a personal card that you can top-up with credit as you go. Don’t forget to ‘tap on’ and ‘tap off’ at the beginning and end of your journey so that the card charges you the correct fare.

Watch your phone bill
Try a pre-paid mobile so you can keep track of the costs and avoid surprise big bills.
If you have a support worker, ask if you can make some of your important calls (for example, to other support services) from their office.

If you can’t pay a bill, call the company and explain.
Don’t ignore bills. Ask for help from the company to work out smaller payments, which may take a while to pay off slowly but are more manageable. If you show that you are trying to pay the bill, your service is less likely to be disconnected. The National Debt Hotline can advise you about this, call 1800 007 007.

Help with electricity and gas bills in an emergency
The Energy Accounts Payment Assistance (EAPA) Scheme helps people experiencing a short term financial crisis or emergency to pay their electricity or gas bill. These can be obtained from various other community agencies. Please check this list of providers

Avoid excess bank fees
Use ATMs from your own bank and check how many free transactions you can have before the bank starts charging for them.

Spend carefully
Buy things secondhand or use lay-bys for large items. In Sydney, check this fact sheet from the Newtown Neighbourhood Centre for places to find low cost or free furniture and other household goods.
In regional towns, large charities such as Anglicare, St Vincent de Paul, and the Salvation Army are the best places to go for low-cost furniture.

Material aid
Material aid means food or food vouchers, electricity vouchers, clothing or furniture. Cash assistance is rare.
Material aid agencies have limited resources and may not be able to help you. Try to be polite if you’re refused, because you may want to ask for assistance another time. If they can’t help you, ask them if they can suggest anyone else you can contact.
Call CRC’s Telephone Information and Referral Service (TIRS) on (02) 9288 8700 for details of where to find material aid in your area.

• • • Check with your Parole Officer that reports required by the State Parole Authority are being completed.
    • Discuss your proposed accommodation with your Parole Officer to ensure an assessment is being completed.
    • Ask your Parole Officer to explain your parole order and parole conditions. Make sure you understand what is expected of you. Ask the Parole Officer to clarify anything you are not sure about.
    • Check what arrangements have been made for you to report to a parole office.

Make sure you keep to your reporting arrangements. If, for a good reason, you are unable to report, make sure you telephone the parole office to make other arrangements.
Your Parole Officer may give you directions regarding:

• • • counselling or other treatment
    • programs
    • employment
    • avoiding certain people or places

One of the most active job services providers in the area of helping people who have a criminal record and/or who have spent time in prison is WISE Employment. They provide a lot of services that assist people with a disability or mental health difficulties to find and keep employment. However, they are also skilled at assisting people with all kinds of barriers to employment. They develop relationships with employers who are open to considering people with a criminal record or history of incarceration and understand the challenges that people face.

Try one of these services:
Success Works – for women affected by the criminal justice system
Wise Employment
Employment Plus
Ostara
Maxsolutions

If these services do not have an office in your area, check here for other Jobsearch providers: https://jobsearch.gov.au/serviceproviders

• • •

How to find a job when you have a criminal record

• • •

How to get a job with a criminal record in Australia

There are employment services who can help you to get job-ready and support you in your search for employment. These organisations should also be able to help you understand the rules about discrimination on the grounds of having a criminal record.

For more information about employment discrimination, see this report ‘On the Record’ or contact the Australian Human Rights Commission.

• • • It’s normal to feel anxious about living together again

• • • Talk about your hopes and plans before release

• • • Keeping talking once you go home

• • • Listen to them

• • • Get help early if you’re having relationship problems.

The key is to talk to your partner about your ideas and hopes before you get out, and keep talking after your release. It’s easy to get carried away inside prison with ideas about what it will be like when you get back together. If your partner tells you you’re being unrealistic or getting carried away, listen. He or she is probably more in touch about this than you are.

If, for example, your relationship was violent or there were lots of arguments, you may find these patterns return after your release, even though you may have hoped they’d be different. If things aren’t working out, it’s important to seek help.

You can contact CRC’s Telephone Information and Referral Service (TIRS) on (02) 9288 8700 to find services that are in your area. You can also contact Relationships Australia or Interrelate. They provide counselling for individuals about relationship or family issues, couples counselling and family counselling and mediation.
1800 RESPECT is a 24 hour national service for domestic or family violence and abuse. Contact them on 1800 737 732.

You may feel prison has changed you, or you may be confused by your feelings and behaviour. Being withdrawn or having mood swings and angry outbursts are common. It’s all part of the difficult process of readjusting from prison life to family life. Suddenly you’re faced with a whole new set of demands.

What helps people survive in prison may be unhelpful back home. In prison, violence and intimidation are often used to ‘solve’ conflict. At home, those tactics could destroy your relationship with your family and even land you back inside. The skills of listening and open communication are essential to a good relationship.

If you do find yourself having problems, relationship or family counselling can help sort things out. Don’t wait until the relationship is on the rocks or your family is falling apart to seek help. It’s better to see someone early, when things are easier to sort out.

• • • Be prepared for the children to take a while to get used to you being back at home

• • • Try to be patient and understanding – they aren’t old enough to understand how you feel

• • • Remember children are often messy and noisy – this is normal, although it may take time for you to get used to it

• • • You may need to rebuild trust with your children and the people who’ve been caring for them

• • • Get help early if you’re finding it difficult to cope with your children.

Remember that they need to hear from you that you do love them. Try not to be too hurt if they give you a hard time. They won’t understand that you didn’t mean to go to prison, and they may feel that you’ve let them down. Listen and try to understand how your children feel rather than being defensive. They’ll settle down if you can be patient and are prepared to work to regain their trust.

Perhaps some other family member took on the parenting role while you were in prison. You may need to regain their trust, as well as your children’s, as you and the person who has been looking after your children work out exactly what roles each of you will play in your children’s lives.

If your child was placed in their care through a court order, you may benefit from legal advice to find out what steps would be involved in resuming their care.

Be prepared for the noise and mess that children make.
In prison, the one thing you have control over is your cell. If you always kept your cell spotless, you may find it difficult to cope with children who leave toys around and yell and scream.

It can help to remember that this is normal behaviour for children. You can teach them to tidy up after themselves, but you can’t stop them behaving like children. Insisting on having complete control over your environment will only create more stress for you and them.

It’s important to get support if you feel you or your children aren’t coping. Don’t wait until things build up to the point where you lash out at the children, take drugs or do something else that might hurt you or your children.

You can call CRC’s Telephone Information and Referral Service (TIRS) on (02) 9288 8700 for services near you that can support you with your children. If your children are school-aged, contacting their teacher or a school counsellor may be helpful.

• • • Parents may keep checking up on you because they’re worried that you may use drugs or reoffend

• • • It can help to remember they’re checking because they care about you

• • • Let them know how you feel, and what’s helpful for you

• • • If you and your parents can’t agree about expectations, you may find it better to move into other accommodation.

• • • Programs in prison may help you work on parenting and communication skills.

Living with parents after your release can have practical, emotional and financial advantages but it can also be stressful. Parents of people on release from prison often worry that their child is going to reoffend or use drugs again. They often try to control them or monitor their behaviour in various ways. If your parents do this, remember it’s because they care about you.

However, feeling that you’re being watched over, or that your parents don’t trust you, can be hard. You can even feel tempted to do something rash just to break out. Remember that the decision not to reoffend or use drugs is about what you want for your life. You’re not doing it to please them.

Tell your parents what’s helpful and not helpful for you in terms of support. It may be useful for them to hear from you how what they do affects you. Remember that while you live in your parents’ house it’s reasonable for them to expect you to live by their rules. If you can’t do this, then you’ll need to look for your own place.

People often really look forward to returning to their family after prison. But many people say that after the ‘honeymoon period’ is over things may not go smoothly. CRC knows how difficult it can be to come from prison back into the family, and can provide support. If anyone in your family is having trouble coping, call CRC’s Telephone Information and Referral Service on (02) 9288 8700 for information about family support services who may be able to help.

NSW Family Referral Services

• • can refer you to organisations whose support workers can help with parenting and other family matters through home visiting, counselling and educational and social groups.

Call the Child Protection Helpline 132 111 (24 hours/7 days) if you want to report a child at risk or request assistance.

Find your local DCJ Community services centre to contact if your child is in FACS care and you’re not sure who to talk to about them.

Parentline 1300 1300 52 is a free telephone advice and referral helpline for parents of children under 18 years of age. You can ring 9am – 4.30pm for telephone counselling and advice if you’re feeling stuck, and can refer you to services, such as parenting courses in your area.

The Family Court of Australia provides mediation, dispute resolution and counselling for couples going through separation. They assist separating couples to reach agreement on custody, child support and other arrangements without going through the courts. They can also make orders for children to live with other family members where DCJ isn’t involved. Call (02) 9217 7111 or visit their website.

LawAccess provides legal information and referral to Legal Aid. 1300 888 529 or visit their website.

Link Up assists Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men and women from the Stolen Generations in re-establishing contact with their families. Visit the Link Up website or call (02) 9421 4700 or 1800 624 332 (Free call, not available to mobiles)

TAFE staff such as the vocational counsellors, Outreach Coordinators or Aboriginal Coordinators can help you get recognition for your prison studies and help you choose a course and find out how to enrol.

You can get income support from Centrelink while you study.
If you’re on a Centrelink pension or benefit you can enrol in a TAFE course for free. For fee paying courses people on Centrelink benefits receive a concession fee, people with a disability and First Nations people are fee-exempt. Most TAFE Outreach courses are free, and reading and writing courses are available for adult learners.

Contact TAFE NSW on 131 601 for more information, or check their website at www.tafensw.edu.au.
To find local reading and writing courses contact the Reading and Writing Hotline on 1300 655 506.

Studying at TAFE
Getting qualifications can make it easier to find work. If you’ve finished modules of study with AEVTI or TAFE while in prison, you’re already on the way. If you didn’t get the chance to study in prison, you may have opportunities to get started now.

It’s a good idea to take the results of any courses you’ve done when you go to discuss study options at TAFE or other agencies. They may want to see your academic transcripts (lists of modules and marks).

PEET (Pathways to Employment Education and Training)
TAFE runs PEET through Community Offender Services (Parole) offices in different parts of NSW. Sessions run for four hours each week, over nine weeks. The course helps people who’ve had drug or alcohol issues to set goals for education and work. It’s a good place to start if you’re not sure about your options for work or study. Talk to your Community Corrections Officer if you think PEET could help you.

Finding a TAFE course
TAFE campuses in NSW are organised into groups, called institutes. Not all courses or services are available at each campus.

Many courses will enrol students only once or twice a year. This means that you may have to wait before you can enrol, depending on your release date. Outreach courses and basic education courses start throughout the year.

If you want to find out more about TAFE courses, or already know the area or course you’d like to study, you can get information about TAFE courses at www.tafensw.edu.au or by contacting TAFE on 131 601.

Education
If you’ve left prison and want help to decide whether you could study at TAFE, and what you would study, try talking to a TAFE counsellor. Almost all TAFE colleges have a counsellor, and they’re trained to provide counselling to help people make work and study plans.

TAFE counsellors also help with personal or learning issues that could be barriers to studying successfully. You can find out about courses in your area by contacting the TAFE NSW Information Centre on 131 601 or your nearest TAFE institute.

Fees for TAFE courses
If you’re on a Centrelink pension or benefit you can enrol in a TAFE course for free. For fee paying courses people on Centrelink benefits receive a concession fee, people with a disability and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders are fee-exempt. A number of TAFE access courses, such as Outreach courses and basic education courses, are free.

Many courses need textbooks and equipment, which you have to provide. If you’re Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, you should be able to get help through Abstudy with buying texts and equipment for the course.

Income while you study at TAFE
If you’re studying full-time at TAFE you should be eligible for Youth Allowance (up to age 24) or Austudy or Abstudy. This means you won’t have the obligations to look for work that go with Newstart.

If you’re First Nations, or receiving a Disability Support Pension, you can get some extra help from Centrelink if you’re studying. Contact Centrelink for more information.

Help to succeed at TAFE
TAFE offers introductory learning courses that can help you improve your reading, writing and number skills and learn work skills. These can be stepping stones to other TAFE courses, or to the workforce.

Outreach courses also provide introductory courses that cover a range of entry level vocational areas. They’re usually shorter courses running for about 6 to 10 weeks. For more information, contact the Outreach coordinator at the TAFE institute nearest to you.

Support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students
TAFE offers services to help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to feel comfortable about accessing TAFE courses. Contact an Aboriginal Coordinator at the TAFE institute nearest to you to ask about support for First Nations students.

Most campuses will have an Aboriginal student support officer. They can help you with enrolment and give help while you do your course. They’ll have information about any other support services that could help you.

Should I tell TAFE staff about being in prison?
You don’t have to tell anyone about being in prison unless you choose to or are asked. Sometimes TAFE staff will be able to support you better if they do know that you’ve been in prison, but the decision to tell staff is up to you.

TAFE counsellors provide a confidential service, so if you tell them that you’ve been in prison they can’t share this information with other TAFE staff. Certificates that you’ve gained in prison may show that you’ve studied at AEVTI. Most people in TAFE who see your certificates will not be aware that you got them in prison.

If you’ve been studying General Education courses in prison, you may be able to continue to work towards a certificate in these subjects at a community college without having to pay fees. Most of their other courses have fees, and they don’t have the same concessions as TAFE.
To find a community college phone (02) 9642 5622 or visit the Community Colleges Australia website.

Fees for university are generally much higher than for TAFE, and students often have to use government loan schemes to pay for them. Local libraries will generally have publications such as the UAC (Universities Admission Centre) Guide, Good Universities Guide or Job Guide with information about university courses.

TAFE qualifications at Cert IV level or higher can sometimes count towards the first stage of a university degree. Contact the Universities Admission Centre on (02) 9752 0200 or www.uac.edu.au for more information.

• • • • Eat a range of food

• • • • Eat some fruit and vegetables each day

• • • • Eat meat, fish or dairy in moderation

• • • • Not to eat too much deep fried or battered food

• • • • Keep cakes and sugary things for treats, not every day.

Take a look at this Healthy Eating Guidelines.
You can find more information on the Health Direct website.

• • • • Write a list before you go and think about what meals you want to cook. This will help you know what you need, and it’s easier to avoid buying things on impulse that you may not need, or won’t use later. Don’t go down the aisles with items you don’t need.

• • • • Never go shopping when you’re hungry because you may be more likely to buy junk food

• • • • Look for the supermarket brand, or the plain tins without pictures. They’re much cheaper, and most of the time they’re just as good.

• • • • Be realistic, aim for small goals and take it step by step, day by day

• • • • Talk to your doctor about losing weight

• • • • Walk or cycle every day as much as possible – which might also save money on public transport fares or petrol

• • • • When you first get out, you might spend a lot of time on your own and find it is easy to eat just to have something to do. Try to stick to meal times, and do something to distract yourself when you think of eating.

New kitchen equipment isn’t cheap, and you may want to approach agencies like the Salvation Army (Salvos) or St Vincent de Paul (Vinnies) for help with second-hand things, at least until you get settled. Or you could try $2 shops, which will usually be cheaper than the big chain stores for these items. Once you’re settled you can replace things with better-quality items if you wish.

Also think about the stove you’ll be using. If you don’t have a griller, a frying pan or wok will be useful for cooking meat.

Basic kitchen equipment:

• • • • Mug

• • • • Bowl

• • • • Small and large plate

• • • • Glass

• • • • Dessertspoon, teaspoon and knife

• • • • Sharp vegetable knife

• • • • Chopping board (or use large plate – gently!)

• • • • Medium-sized saucepan with lid (handy for straining pasta, etc)

• • • • Kettle

• • • • Frying pan or wok

• • • • Mixing bowl (or use ice cream container)

• • • • Egg slice

• • • • Tea towel

Extra equipment – you could add one or two of these to your shopping list each week:

• • • • Vegetable peeler

• • • • Bread knife

• • • • Whisk or egg beater

• • • • Saucepan

• • • • Strainer/colander

• • • • Wooden spoon

• • • • Juicer

• • • • Tongs

• • • • Potato masher

• • • • Grater

• • • • Oven tray