When a parent is taken into custody, a child’s world can change overnight. When this happened to Sally*, Year 4 became a year of uncertainty, and new responsibilities. But with support from […]

“The boys told their mum it was the best day. She said they haven’t stopped talking about it since!”   Child & Parent Days are a highlight for families with a dad […]

Young people in custody discovered the joy of cooking while building confidence during a hands-on class with SHINE for Kids and inaugural MasterChef Australia winner Julie Goodwin.   This new program is […]

When mum in custody in Queensland, Sammy* saw our poster for Storytime, she made a beeline for our team to ask how to sign up.   She shared that she has three […]

In custody in Queensland and a first-time mum-to-be, Jasmine*, recently took part in our Bringing Up Great Kids parenting program, an experience that helped her discover confidence she didn’t know she had. […]

The Easter Bunny is delivering some extra special treats this year!   At a recent SHINE for Kids Arts and Crafts session at Macquarie Correctional Centre, these dads spent time creating heartfelt […]

Recently, the SHINE for Kids team delivered cooking and beauty sessions to girls in youth custody, creating opportunities for the group to build trust and their relationship with their mentor, strengthen their […]

The very first Child & Parent Day at Shortland Correctional Centre was an unforgettable success!   For children with a dad in custody at Shortland, this was the very first chance they’d […]

This year, SHINE for Kids supported many young people as they transitioned from the youth justice system into independent living with our Stand As One program, and Matt’s story is one we’re […]

  Benji* is in Year 3 at a primary school on the Central Coast, NSW, and needs support at school to regulate his emotions and participate in class.   With a parent […]

A quick turnaround didn’t stop this important Child & Parent Day at Silverwater Women’s from happening.   It was a sunny day when a small group of kids and mums gathered for […]

School student Blake* has had a difficult path, with both his mum and dad absent from his life, and struggles to understand his emotions. However, with the support of his Rise mentor […]

Stand As One mentoring for young people in youth justice is helping Aaliyah* prepare to start her life afresh when she’s released.   Aaliyah is a 17-year-old young woman from Western Sydney […]

For three boys, all cousins, in years 3 and 6 at primary school on the Central Coast, this year did not start well.   However, after putting in a lot of hard […]

Our Queensland team ran a great activity at Playgroup this week with mums in custody and their bubs for Reconciliation Week. 🖤💛❤️     Our amazing local team member wrote:   “We used […]

Our very first Child & Parent Day at the Hunter Correctional Centre was a huge success!   A group of very happy children spent quality time with their dads for the first […]

Sometimes things work out perfectly, and one good thing can lead to another.   That’s precisely what happened when mum in custody, Brooke*, started our Bringing Up Great Kids parenting course.   […]

Mackenzie* is in her last year of primary school, and after years on a waitlist to join Rise mentoring, which is in high demand on the NSW Central Coast, she’s finally in […]

Mum in custody Mandy* knew her mother was struggling with the cost of looking after her children, so she reached out to our team to help.    Mandy completed our Bringing Up […]

Jed* is three years old and lives with his Mum, Donna*, at a special ‘mums and bubs’ correctional centre in Queensland.   The two share a close bond, and he loves our […]

The difference a year can make! 11-year-old David* had a tough start in life, with both parents in custody and little contact with them. He had difficulty regulating his emotions and trusting adults. […]

Joanna* is a mum in custody in Queensland, and when our team first met her, she was missing her 2-year-old daughter terribly.    At that point, she’d been in custody for several […]

It’s been tough for new dad Marc* to be away from his baby daughter, Mandy*. He missed her birth and hasn’t been home to help his partner Riva* through the first months […]

Christmas has been in full swing at the South Coast Correctional Centre with Connection Activity Days galore!   During these special arts and crafts sessions, dads in custody created festive cards and […]

It’s the school holidays, which at SHINE for Kids means well-deserved fun days out for the kids in our Rise school mentoring program!   These activity days are our way of saying, […]

Always popular at Wellington and Macquarie Correctional Centres, our recent Activity Connection Days and Storytime programs have produced beautiful gifts made with love for children. Dads try something new   Dads in […]

A group of happy children spent quality time with their dads at our first-ever Child & Parent Day at Clarence Correctional Centre.    The children were a little nervous at first as […]

A long, rocky road led Emmie*, a Biripi Woman from Taree, to our Belonging to Family program at the Mid-North Coast Correctional Centre.   A mother in custody, soon-to-be grandmother, a motivated […]

The lengths mother Janice* went to to complete our Bringing Up Great Kids parenting course shows how useful it is to parents and how much it means to them to hold a […]

Child and Parent Activity Days are a great chance for children to spend quality time with their mum or dad in custody and foster closer relationships by playing together and sharing in […]

Thank you to the wonderful South Coast Correctional Centre staff, the Red Cross, and The Sixth Child for coming together to make this visit with Dad extra special! Staff at the local […]

Ethan* is twelve years old and every week he attends the community after-school program in Kempsey with his little sister. They have a warm meal and fresh fruit, join activities, and most […]

It’s been a difficult year for Ebony*, in year 2 at a Central Coast primary school. Her mother has been in and out of custody several times, and she’s struggled with a […]

Our Storytime program is incredibly popular. Dads in custody love the chance to do something special for their children, and the children cherish the story books and recordings, often tucking them under […]

In 2024, our Cessnock Child & Family Centre remains a hive of activity, with families dropping in when they visit loved ones in custody at the on-site correctional centres. Carers can relax […]

Freddy* is a regular, friendly 18-year-old; he likes making jokes, being with his friends, and sharing and learning about his Māori culture. He’s doing well these days and is busy working full-time […]

There was a real sense of achievement in the room on the day 10 mums in custody at Dillwynia Correctional Centre graduated after completing our Bringing Up Great Kids program over six […]

Luka*, 14, is in our SFK Mentoring program and finds going to school hard sometimes; he’s been bullied and has become withdrawn.   He’s faced a lot of hardship in his short […]

A group of nine excited children joined their Rise mentors and the SHINE for Kids team for a sunny day of fun and games at the local park. The day was all […]

Children with a parent in custody too often feel isolated. Embarrassed or worried about talking about what they are going through, children will often withdraw from their school friends and communities. This […]

This National Volunteer Week (NVW), we are SHINEing a light on a few of the amazing volunteers working with us to make positive change in young people’s lives in keeping with this […]

Our Playgroup program, Stay Together, Play Together, plays a vital role in keeping mums connected with their kids and improving outcomes and well-being for young children.   SHINE for Kids staff member […]

Our first Child & Parent Days at Alexander Maconochie Centre since the pandemic were a resounding success as children from all over the state enjoyed precious time with their mums and dads […]

“I have always hoped and prayed my son would connect to his Culture through dance.” Five of the young people from our Stand As One mentoring program recently took part in a […]

A group of VERY excited children of all ages hugged their dads, some for the first time in years, at our Macquarie Correctional Centre Child & Parent Day. These special days are […]

Mum Becky* has completed our Keeping Us Together program at Dillwynia Correctional Centre. Here she reflects on what she’s gained from the program and the future she wants to build for her […]

Our kids in Melbourne had an amazing experience thanks to the team at Deloitte Digital who volunteered their time to help us deliver our first Technology Day! A group of very excited […]

Our mentoring team in Frankston, Victoria have reported some big wins for their kids this past year! While the team say all of the kids in Victoria have shown admirable growth, they […]

Our team in Queensland have been supporting this dad to connect with his newborn daughter. As he says, the support has completely changed his family’s life. Thank you to this father for […]

Our RISE Clarence Coordinator has been connecting with incredibly resilient children and their families across the Clarence Valley. One of these students is Adam*, who is 9 years old. Adam was referred […]

Mason* has spent most of his teenage years going between out-of-home care and custody. He’s no longer in contact with his family and finds it difficult to maintain positive relationships. Mason was […]

One of our wonderful long time volunteers Dennis recently reached out to us to pass on some lovely news. He and his wife had just attended the graduation of a young woman […]

Sam, a young Aboriginal boy in the Stand As One mentoring program, was just 15 when he went into custody at Frank Baxter Youth Justice Centre. Sam was the youngest person at […]

Mia, Declan and Timmy have been living with their grandmother since their dad was incarcerated four years ago. Their mum was also sent into custody two years after dad while she was […]

We are growing! Recently, our Queensland team came together to connect, learn, share ideas, and celebrate the opening of our new Cairns office.   Our Manager in Cairns, Matthew King, said of […]

All we can say is wow and thank you!   A mum who is a regular visitor to Bathurst Correctional Centre (who always stops to give lovely feedback about the work we […]

Our Belonging to Family had the pleasure of attending the inaugural Social Emotional Wellbeing Conference (SEWB) in Kempsey this November.   The theme was “Healing Ourselves to Heal Our Next Generation”.    […]

This book was written by dads in the SHINE for Kids Storytime program at Clarence Correctional Centre, NSW.   It was written for their children and for the thousands of other children […]