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 […]

SHINE for Kids had the pleasure of being involved in ‘Behind the Sentence’, an installation by artist Dr. Paula Mahoney and presented by The Neighbourhood Justice Centre at Collingwood Yards in Melbourne for […]

The Elders who kindly volunteer their time to mentor families in our Belonging to Family program took their skills on the road with a recent visit to a youth justice centre.   The […]

MEDIA RELEASE   2nd November 2024   Children with a parent in prison say they need to be seen, recognised and responded to   Children with a parent in prison have been […]

With Education Week marked in NSW, now is a great time to share our new Educator Guidebook!   Our team has gathered together specialised resources, support and information to help those working […]

MEDIA RELEASE 30 August 2023 Child advocacy and support organisation, SHINE for Kids has launched a new book in time for Father’s Day, The Sun Still Shines – aimed at children whose […]