Positive Relationships: Fathers in Prison - Behind bars

The statistics are staggering. Each year around 150,000 children in Britain are affected by having a parent in prison. Sixty-five per cent of the sons of prisoners end up behind bars themselves.

The fear of their children following in their footsteps led to prisoners and arts education charity Safe Ground developing parenting programmes, called Family Man and Fathers Inside, for offenders. The courses are currently delivered in 24 prisons in England and Wales with the aim of motivating prisoners to participate in education and family life through drama and group work. 'They're parenting programmes not about changing nappies but changing attitudes,' says Safe Ground programmes director Eli Robertson.

'None of the men want their children to also become prisoners; they just don't know how to stop it. Some dads simply say that their children are better off without them. They have a very all-or-nothing attitude. They do not want to face family issues until they are released, and many do not want their children to see them in prison. One dad I spoke to had a year and a half sentence and his son had been told that he was in Spain.

'Through the course we want them to realise that, yes, they can have a relationship with their children while in prison. It is not ideal, but it is possible.'

NEW SKILLS

The courses are suitable for mixed ability groups of 14 to 20 men and involve a variety of tasks, including role play, drawing, discussion and physical activities, all centred around fatherhood. They are introduced to sometimes challenging and sensitive issues using fictional characters in stories, such as Oscar Wilde's 'The Selfish Giant', and film.

Prisons promote the parenting programmes and often it is suggested as part of prisoners' sentence plans, although men have to volunteer to do the course. 'The hook that gets them to attend the course is that they want to be a better dad and a better person,' explains Ms Robertson. 'They have often not experienced healthy relationships themselves, so do not have the skills to relate to their children and do not know how to do it.

'The course can help them to re-think their ideas, such as that going to feed the ducks and spending quality time with their child is more beneficial than getting the money illegally to buy the latest video game or trainers for them.'

The programmes aim to help prisoners recognise that how they behave, in prison and once they are released, is likely to have a direct effect on their children. Plato's quote, 'Any impression we choose to make leaves a permanent mark', is used as a starting point for discussion.

The main aims of the programmes are to provide prisoners with basic social and life skills to help them to understand the benefits of being part of a family and a community. It is hoped that the prisoners will be better equipped with skills to engage positively with their children. Research shows that sustaining good family ties while in prison can reduce a prisoner's risk of re-offending by six times. Stopping men from re-offending has immeasurable long-term benefits for their children.

JOINT LEARNING

A major theme running through the programmes is education - their own and their children's. The courses are accredited through the National Open College Network, with prisoners gaining credits on completion which enable them to progress to further qualifications. Safe Ground CEO Charlotte Weinberg says, 'Many of the prisoners have grown up being told that they are worthless, stupid, violent and unteachable. Many have never completed a course or gained a qualification, so they are very proud and go on to be more involved with their children's learning as a result.'

Through the course, which is a full-time four-week programme, the offenders consider how and why children learn and what the benefits of education are. They are shown how to communicate with and support their children with their schoolwork. The course also makes them reflect on how they themselves learn.

Men in prison are often reluctant to ask for or access help. 'The courses try to get prison to be an effective one-off experience which allows them to get support and care that they may not have otherwise accessed,' says Ms Weinberg. Organisations such as Sure Start children's centres are invited in to talk to the prisoners, and they are also encouraged to write letters to support agencies and send information to their partner or children's carer.

The courses culminate with the prisoners performing a final presentation to their peers, staff and family. 'Often it is the first time that they have had to present something publicly, other than in court. They are often very nervous and want to achieve in front of their family,' says Ms Robertson. 'Through the presentations everyone gets to see their dad in a different light. It can help the family to re-engage and to reinitiate relationships.'

CASE STUDIES

Gary, HMP Wandsworth

'Before I did Family Man I was not doing anything at all in the prison. I had never been to prison before and was finding it really difficult being away from my partner and children. I also knew that my partner was finding it really hard on the outside, but I didn't really know how to help her.

'I signed up for Family Man because some of the guys on my wing said it was a good course and that you could get a lot out of it. I didn't really know what to think of it at first, and I was quite shy, but it was great to talk to other dads so I didn't feel like I was the only one. It brought me out of myself and made me much more confident, especially doing the drama and presentations.

'Getting my partner and kids involved in the course was brilliant. Being able to work with my partner on an action plan was really good, as it got us thinking and talking about the future. It made me much better at communicating with everyone, including my family, which made the rest of my sentence much easier.

'It was also great that my kids and the rest of the family got to come into the prison at the end of the course to see what I was doing. The kids loved seeing me take part in the play and it was great to spend time with them that wasn't like a normal visit - it was actually fun. I got so much encouragement from my family when they heard I was doing the course, it made me want to do other things. The kids noticed a real change in me.'

Nav, HMP Wandsworth

'When I first heard about this course, I thought it would be good for me to take part because I have a child on the way. I thought the course would involve practical tips and advice on childcare - for instance playing with your child and the do's and don'ts of bringing up children. How wrong was I? The course involves a lot more than that. It does not tell you what to do. It is more to do with the responsibilities we all have to the family as a whole, not just the children, but our responsibilities to mothers, brothers, sisters etc. The course focuses on how our own behaviours impact on those closest to us.'

John, HMP Leeds

'When I joined the group and Dez read the story about 'The Selfish Giant', I thought, is this fella for real? I'm sat here in a prison listening to a kid's story, how do I get kicked off this course? But as the course continued I noticed how similar I was to the Giant. Instead of building walls with bricks, I built them out of heroin and crack. It made me have a good look at my family life. I was not taking any responsibility and was leaving it all to my partner. It has helped me sort out things with my partner and also my son and extended family.'

FURTHER INFORMATION

Safe Ground: www.safeground.org.uk