On Friday 3rd of July, Barnardo’s, a leading charity in the UK, worked in collaboration with HM Prison Service to host a conference at a Category D men’s prison, HMP Leyhill, in Gloucester in the southwest region of England. According to I-HOP , two 16 and 13 year old representatives from Barnardo’s in Bristol, who were affected by parental imprisonment, powerfully articulated their experiences of having a father in prison. They shared their wishes for a more child-centered visitation system. Their statements were addressed by a father in custody who told delegates that he “felt it inside” when his son hugged him and “squeezed a little” during his first visit to prison. He went on to say that he desires to get back to family life and do the best that he can for his son.
The event ended with a strong presentation by Corin Morgan Armstrong, Head of Family Interventions & Invisible Walls Wales at Category B men’s prison, HMP Parc, where he spoke about the successes of the family intervention work and ethos at HMP Parc.
