East Sutton Park Prison and Young Offender Institution
Source: gov.uk (2025-05-20)

East Sutton Park is an open prison and young offender institution (YOI) in Maidstone, Kent, for women aged 18 and over.

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Book and plan your visit to East Sutton Park

To visit someone in East Sutton Park you must:
- be on that person’s visitor list
- book your visit at least 2 working days in advance
- have the required ID (#entering-east-sutton-park) with you when you go
Contact East Sutton Park (#contacts) if you have any questions about visiting.

Help with the cost of your visit

If you get certain benefits or have a health certificate, you might be able to get help with the costs of your visit (https://www.gov.uk/help-with-prison-visits), including:
- travel to East Sutton Park
- somewhere to stay overnight
- meals
How to book family and friends visits

You can book your visit online (https://www.gov.uk/prison-visits) or by telephone.

Telephone booking line: xx-xxxx-xxxx

Find out about call charges (https://www.gov.uk/call-charges)

The booking lines are open:
- Monday to Friday, 10am to 3pm
Visiting times:
- Saturday, 2pm to 4pm
- Sunday, 2pm to 4pm
How to book legal and professional visits

You can book a legal and professional visit by phone, xx-xxxx-xxxx.

Visiting times:
- Monday to Friday, morning and afternoon slots
Getting to East Sutton Park

Find East Sutton Park on a map (https://consent.google.com/m?continue=https://xxx@xxx.xx,xx-xxxx-xxxx,17z/data%3D!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x47df2f014f3fe887:0x563b52889dbaeeca!8m2!3d51.2152872!4d0.6161008?shorturl%3D1&gl=IE&m=0&pc=m&uxe=eomtm&cm=2&hl=en&src=1)

The closest railway station is Headcorn.

To plan your journey by public transport:
- use National Rail enquiries (https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/)
- use Traveline for local bus times (https://www.traveline.info/)
There is a car park with 2 disabled spaces.

Entering East Sutton Park

All visitors, aged 16 or older must prove their identity before entering the prison. Read the list of acceptable forms of ID when visiting a prison (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/management-of-security-at-visits-policy-framework-open-estate/acceptable-forms-of-identification-id-when-visiting-a-prison-in-england-and-wales-annex-a).

All visitors may be subject to a rub down search, including children.

Refreshments will be available to purchase during your visit.

You may take cash into the visits hall with you, however you will have to leave large amounts of cash, bags, smart watches and mobile phones in your car or in a locker.

You will be told the rules by an officer at the start of your visit. If you break the rules, your visit could be cancelled and you could be banned from visiting again.

Visiting facilities

There is no smoking in or around the visits hall.

In the visits hall you will find:

hot and cold refreshments for sale

male, female and disabled toilets and baby changing areas

an unsupervised children’s activities area

Family days

Family days are being held.

Keep in touch with someone at East Sutton Park

Prisoners get one phone call on the day they arrive at East Sutton Park. They will be allowed to make other phone calls to people on their contact list on the next working day after they arrive.

Phone calls

A prisoner at East Sutton Park can only phone you if you are named on their list of friends and family. This list is checked by security.

Prisoners do not have phones in their cells so they will always need to call you rather than you call them. They can make calls from 6am to 10pm.

You can also exchange voicemails using the Prison Voicemail service (https://prisonvoicemail.com/).

Officers may listen to phone calls as a way of preventing crime and helping keep people safe.

Secure video calls

To have a secure video call with someone in this prison you need to:
- Download the Prison Video app (https://prisonvideo.com/app)
- Create an account
- Register all visitors
- Add the prisoner to your contact list.
How to book a secure video call

You can request a secure video call with someone in this prison via the Prison Video app.

You will receive a notification when your request has been accepted.

Read more about how it works (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/visit-a-prisoner-using-a-video-call)

Email

You can send emails to someone in East Sutton Park using the Email a Prisoner service (https://www.emailaprisoner.com/).

You might also be able to attach photos and receive replies from the prisoner, depending on the rules at East Sutton Park.

Letters

Include the person’s name on the envelope.

All post apart from legal letters will be opened and checked by officers.

Send money and gifts

You can use the free and fast online service to send money to someone in prison (https://www.gov.uk/send-prisoner-money).

You can no longer send money by bank transfer, cheque, postal order or send cash by post.

If you cannot use the online service, you may be able to apply for an exemption (https://send-money-to-prisoner.service.gov.uk/help/apply-for-exemption/) - for example if you:
- are unable to use a computer, a smart phone or the internet
- do not have a debit card
This will allow you to send money by post.

Gifts and parcels

Include the person’s name on the parcel. Contact East Sutton Park (#contacts) for more information on what is allowed.

All parcels will be opened and checked by officers.

People in East Sutton Park can also order items from catalogues and can bring back up to 6 items if they are on temporary release, if this has been approved in advance.

Friends and families of prisoners are permitted to send books directly to their loved ones, or can order books from approved retailers, which can source and send the books on to prisoners.

For the full list of approved retailers, you can read Prison education and library services, Annex A (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/prison-education-and-library-services-for-adult-prisons-in-england/annex-a-sending-and-handing-in-of-books-to-prisoners).

Life at East Sutton Park

East Sutton Park is focused on providing a safe environment and the support prisoners need to successfully move back into the community.

Security and safeguarding

Every person at East Sutton Park has a right to feel safe. The staff at East Sutton Park are responsible for their safeguarding and welfare at all times.

For further information about what to do when you are worried or concerned about someone in prison visit the Prisoners’ Families helpline website (https://www.prisonersfamilies.org/pages/category/need-urgent-help?Take=24).

Arrival and first night

Every new prisoner gets to make a phone call. They will be shown their cell and introduced to their house by another prisoner who will give them support in their first week.

Induction

Each person who arrives at East Sutton Park gets an induction that lasts about a week. They will meet professionals who will help them with:
- health and wellbeing, including mental and sexual health
- any substance misuse issues, including drugs and alcohol
- personal development in custody and on release, including skills, education and training
- other support (sometimes called ‘interventions’), such as managing difficult emotions
Everyone also finds out about the rules, fire safety, and how things like calls and visits work.

Accommodation

About 100 prisoners live at East Sutton Park.

There are a mixture of cell sizes, from 7-bed dormitories to 2-bed cells.

Prisoners can move freely and use the gardens.

Free time

Prisoners have 2 ‘association’ rooms in their free time. One is a quiet room and the other has a TV and stereo.

Prisoners can visit each other’s cells and use the gym, library and gardens.

Faith services

East Sutton Park has a multi-faith room for prisoners.

Education and work

There is a range of education and skills provision. This includes a working farm, butchery, horticulture and gardens, catering, vocational and distance learning, and physical education.

East Sutton Park has good community links. Up to 35 prisoners work outside in voluntary and paid employment on a daily basis.

All prisoners work and can earn pay for the job they do. Prisoners can spend their money on canteen items.

Prisoners are also supported to get paid work for when they leave custody.

Temporary release

All prisoners have a risk assessment to see if they can have temporary release.

Support for family and friends

Find out about advice and helplines for family and friends (https://www.gov.uk/support-for-families-friends-of-prisoners).

Concerns, problems and complaints

In an emergency

Call xx-xxxx-xxxx if you think a prisoner is at immediate risk of harm. Ask for the Orderly Officer and explain that your concern is an emergency.

Problems and complaints

If you have any other problem Contact East Sutton Park (#contacts).

Contact East Sutton Park

Governor: Amy Dixon

Telephone (24 hours): xx-xxxx-xxxx Fax: xx-xxxx-xxxx Find out about call charges (https://www.gov.uk/call-charges)

Follow East Sutton Park on Twitter/X (https://twitter.com/HMPESuttonPark)

Address

HMP/YOI East Sutton ParkSutton ValenceMaidstoneKentME17 3DF

See map (https://consent.google.com/m?continue=https://xxx@xxx.xx,xx-xxxx-xxxx,17z/data%3D!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x47df2f014f3fe887:0x563b52889dbaeeca!8m2!3d51.2152872!4d0.6161008?shorturl%3D1&gl=IE&m=0&pc=m&uxe=eomtm&cm=2&hl=en&src=1)

Help us to improve this page. Give us your feedback in this 2-minute survey (https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/east-sutton-park/).