Further help and information for ex-offenders

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NACRO has centres that help offenders and ex-offenders deal with having a criminal record, drug or alcohol problems, or finding work and somewhere to live. They offer careers and education advice and financial help. NACRO can help with literacy and numeracy skills, and communications skills. They also organise activities, such as football, arts and peer education projects.

The NACRO Resettlement Plus helpline (Tel 020 7840 6464) can:

tell you if a job is exempted under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act
advise you on employment, housing, education and training, and other services
tell you more about rehabilitation periods and spent convictions
tell you more about the disclosure process

You can download advice leaflets from NACRO's website on:

criminal convictions
information for prisoners' families and friends
resettlement advice
benefits and debt
finding a home
finding a job
just imprisoned?
keeping your home
advice for employers

Particularly useful are the Sorting Yourself Out publications - Applying for Work (with a criminal record) and a Guide to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

Wales

Nacro Cymru or phone 01792 468400.

Scotland and Northern Ireland

Safeguarding Communities and Reducing Offending in Scotland - (SACRO) (Tel 0131 624 7270)
Northern Ireland Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders (NIACRO) (Tel 028 9032 0157)

Further help

I Can't Do That Can I? - a guide to criminal convictions and jobs exempted from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act
Criminal Records Bureau - types of disclosure
The Disclosure Service - (tel 0870 90 90 811) rehabilitation periods and the disclosure process
Disclosure Scotland - (tel 0870 609 6006) similar to the English and Welsh Criminal Records Bureau
Apex Charitable Trust - (Tel 0870 608 4567) helps people with criminal records to get the skills they need to get a job
Apex Scotland - (Tel 0131 220 0130) offers a similar service
SOVA - (Strengthening Others through Volunteer Action) provides job advice and support for prisoners and ex-offenders