With a loved one in prison, children often face what we call ‘a hidden sentence’ – they shoulder the shame and guilt often felt when someone they love goes to prison and want to keep it to themselves. This can lead the children to have behavioural and emotional difficulties, which is often misunderstood. But we can help.
We support children with a parent in custody, and children whose parents have recently been released, to cope with their family member’s sentence.
We can support:
- Children with a parent or guardian in prison;
- People with children who have a partner in prison;
- Grandparents who have a child in prison and are now caring for their grandchildren, full-time or part-time;
- Another family member or carer who is taking care of children while their mum or dad is in prison; or
- Those in prison or leaving prison, where possible.
How do we support families with a loved one in custody?
We provide families with:
- advice about what to tell children about imprisonment;
- one-to-one support for children, where they can talk about their feelings;
- group support for children with shared experiences to talk things through and have some fun together;
- one-to-one support for children as they consider whether they want to remain in contact with their imprisoned family member;
- specialist support for children attending prison visits to see a parent (depending on prison location and funding);
- peer group support for children where they can meet others who share their experience whilst having fun;
- access to the Family Links Nurturing Programme, which helps parents develop the ability to understand and manage their feelings, building their skills around self-awareness, appropriate expectations, positive discipline and empathy;
- a support group for adults who have a loved one in prison; and
- advocacy support.
I still love my dad but everyone in my family expects me to hate him for what he did. I want to keep in touch with him but nobody I know can understand why. That's dead hard. He's still my dad. Except for when I come here, I don't know anyone else who has a mum or dad in prison. None of my mates know what it's like. I don't think anyone knows what to say. When I come to PSS I don't have to explain, they just get it. They've helped me keep in touch with him in the way I want to and helped me when I've felt down about it all. I know I can say what I want to say here and nobody will judge me. It's good.
- Joel, aged 14
The whole-family approach
We think it's so important to support whole families - afterall, although the imprisonment will affect each member of the family differently, they're going through this together. Our support is designed to help bear some of the emotional weight of the situation, but also to give parents and caregivers the skills and insight to be there for the children affected.
What are the benefits of referring someone to our Prisoners’ Families service?
- This is a specialist service, delivered by highly-skilled professionals.
- Tackling the stigma of parental imprisonment, we help children of prisoners to express themselves and leave behind the shame and guilt they so often feel.
- Children cope better at school. Children who feel heard and have had support to cope with their emotions have fewer behavioural issues. And when they do, these are better understood and acknowledged (we can also talk to teachers about how best to approach conversations with children in their class who have a parent in prison).
- Families get to spend time with others who are going through the same things, helping them to feel less isolated.
- Children are provided with specialist support to come to terms with their family member’s sentence in their own way and in their own time.
- We work with parents and carers to build on their emotional skills, supporting them to develop emotionally healthy relationships with the children in their care.
What the people we support think
Each year we ask people we support, their carers, parents and guardians to tell us what they think about the support they receive from PSS. This year, we received feedback from 48% of the children and 100% of the parents, carers and guardians supported by Prisoners' Families. Here's what they told us:
5/5
How we listen to people
4.8
How they were treated
4.8
How safe people feel at PSS
How to refer into Prisoners' Families
To make a referral for a family you support, please contact Jessica Schorah.
Call: 0151 702 5555
Email: jessica.schorah@pss.org.uk
Stories from people we support
Kelsey’s story: from being supported to supporting others
When Kelsey first came to our Prisoners’ Families service, she was finding it difficult to express and manage her emotions. Her dad was in prison and she was struggling to understand why she couldn’t see him anymore.
Tracy and Julie: a journey of reconnection
When we first met Tracy, she was struggling to maintain a relationship with her daughter, Julie, who was in prison. During this time, Tracy also became the main caregiver for her three grandchildren, who also needed support while their mum was in prison.
More information
How we keep people safe
Information about safeguarding at PSS.
How can we help
Learn about the different services we provide at PSS.
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