Love at first sight for dad meeting newborn daughter
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 stories
A fresh start for mum Sierra
Sierra has two daughters, aged 12 and 9, and when she went into custody a few years ago it was the first time in their lives they’d been separated from her.
It was an incredibly tough time for the family, Sierra said she had no way to contact them and after going into custody it was a full three months before she was finally able to speak with them via a video call.
Luckily, Sierra was able to access SHINE’s programs when she was moved to Clarence Correctional Centre. Here she took part in our Storytime Literacy Program and Keeping Us Together, where participants reflect on parenting and learn about children’s brain development and neuronal connections made through relationships.
She said these programs really helped her keep her relationships with her daughters on track during their separation and she felt happy that “at least I could do something for them”.
Creating a unique hand drawn story book for each daughter was a highlight of her time working with SHINE and she says that even though she’s “not a creative person, I could do this,” and it was a great experience.
The stories were both about a visit to a pet shop, an idea she had from a letter she’d just received, and at the end of each girl’s story, the main character bought their favourite pet (in one story a cat and in the other a dog as the girls wanted different pets!).
Creating these personal stories was one way Sierra was able to show how much she was thinking of her daughters, their lives and the things they each loved, and show them how much she was missing them.
Sierra’s advice to other parents in custody? “Put your head down and don’t get involved in the drama. Doing [SHINE’s] programs keeps you busy and they are great to do.”
Sierra is in constant contact with her daughters since being released and is working to regain custody of them, she says, “they want nothing more than to come home.” She now has her own cleaning business and it’s going so well she’s flat out!
Sierra is one of the parents featured in the SBS series “Life on the Outside” and the SHINE team at Clarence are so proud of everything she has achieved, both in custody and since release, and wish her all the best with the future.
SHINE’s Clarence facilitator said, “It was such a delight to have Sierra in our program – she was so excited to be making her own story for her girls.”
Sierra has just been released from custody.
Tonight she’s meeting the woman whose house she’ll be living at for the next 100 days.#LifeOnTheOutside | Starts 8.30pm Wed on SBS and @SBSOnDemand pic.twitter.com/pJTzErTwCl
— SBS Australia (@SBS) March 13, 2022
Other stories
And the winner is ….
During the week of the 15th-21st of May, we celebrated National Families Week with our children and families. One way of connecting with families was through a drawing competition and the winner would […]
A dad and daughter back together at last
Aaron*, a dad in custody at Parklea, recently approached us about our Storytime program. He has a four year old daughter Chloe* who he hadn’t seen face to face for over two […]
National Volunteer Week – Meet Debbie!
National Volunteer Week is Australia’s largest annual celebration of volunteering. This year’s theme is ‘Better Together’, and appropriately so, as together we accomplish so much more. At this time of year, we […]
Two young men’s strong bond, in good times and bad
By SHINE for Kids team member Tanya Macfie I received a referral to Stand as One for a young man, Mason*, from Frank Baxter Youth Justice Centre requesting mentoring support to assist […]
Proud day for family and their SHINE For Kids volunteer
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 […]
National Volunteer Week – Meet Dennis!
National Volunteer Week is Australia’s largest annual celebration of volunteering. This year’s theme is ‘Better Together’, and appropriately so, as together we accomplish so much more. At this time of year, we […]
National Volunteer Week – Meet Stephanie!
National Volunteer Week is Australia’s largest annual celebration of volunteering. This year’s theme is ‘Better Together’, and appropriately so, as together we accomplish so much more. At this time of year, we […]
National Volunteer Week – Meet Andrew!
National Volunteer Week is Australia’s largest annual celebration of volunteering. This year’s theme is ‘Better Together’, and appropriately so, as together we accomplish so much more. At this time of year, we […]
National Volunteer Week – Meet Helen!
National Volunteer Week is Australia’s largest annual celebration of volunteering. This year’s theme is ‘Better Together’, and appropriately so, as together we accomplish so much more. At this time of year, we […]
Keeping a family connected, any way we can
This month our teams have been connecting with families and seeing how they’re doing and what their needs might be while also letting them know that their Family Connection Packs are on […]
Easter brings hope to the men at Macquarie
Some special Easter deliveries were made to excited children over the long weekend this Easter! The men at Macquarie Correctional Centre recently participated in a special craft workshop as a way to […]
How my mentor helped me get through a hard time
To celebrate National Youth Week at SHINE, we are sharing the voice and experience of a young person we supported through our mentoring program Stand As One. This is his story. “When […]
Birthday Program makes missing mum or dad on a special day a bit easier
Our new Birthday Program is in full swing as our teams purchase specially requested gifts on behalf of a parent in custody, pack and deliver them to many happy children! So far, […]
Kids the winners as Rugby team play for SHINE
Recently one of our fabulous citizen fundraisers Ryan got together a group of Bathurst rugby playing friends and acquaintances for a fun day and a good cause to play in the Annual […]
New experiences and confidence building for SHINE’s Townsville kids
“Days like today are tiring but boy are they worth it. I travelled to the outing with a car full of silent children, the return trip was anything but silent.” – Priscilla, […]
A very special visit for mums at Broken Hill
“I made gifts for my four children for Christmas because I wouldn’t have gifts for them any other way.” – Mum from Broken Hill Correctional Centre Just before Christmas our crafting expert […]
Dad’s voice and a Christmas delivery make the holidays apart a little easier
By a SHINE team member I met Marty*, a dad in custody, one day at the Parklea complex while I was collecting referrals. He asked about our Storytime program and what was […]
Sam’s year of kicking goals
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 […]
Let’s give dad the biggest hug ever
This April in Victoria, after a year of restricted access due to COVID, the SHINE for Kids team arranged a very important Ride By Your Side visit for two brave little girls, […]
Christmas Magic with The Sixth Child
Wow. Our Victorian team have been blown away by the incredible donation of Christmas gifts from The Sixth Child and Creating the Magic! Last year, thanks to The Sixth Child, we gave […]
Storytime helped Timothy repair his relationship with his sons
Timothy had been in custody at Clarence Correctional Centre for eight months when he joined the Storytime program. It was his first time in custody and he was really struggling with missing […]
A very special new bedtime routine for three kids missing dad
The day before the ACT went into lockdown in August, SHINE staff had worked with a father to complete a Storytime recording for his youngest child. The father is working to improve […]
Playgroup helped Aaron get ready to learn at child care
Aaron is three years old and attends the SHINE for Kids playgroup every week with his mum Carly. They live together at Numinbah Correctional Centre while Carly is in custody. Carly approached […]
Our partnerships stopped Meg and Sam be evicted
Meg and her 4 year old son Sam live in Werrington in western Sydney. The family first started engaging with SHINE for Kids through the Parklea Child and Family Centre as Sam’s […]
I feel like a father again
Jason was transferred to Clarence Correctional Centre as soon as it opened in July 2020. Unfortunately his wife is also incarcerated and her parents have custody of their two young children and […]
Tracey and Millie are building a bright future together
Eight months ago, Tracey was referred to SHINE for Kids and began attending our weekly playgroups so that she and her two year old daughter Millie could reconnect. Millie had been in […]
Keeping connected to mum during the toughest of times
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 […]
Tamara’s RISE sessions are the highlight of her week
Every week Tamara spends an hour at school one-on-one with her RISE mentor. They work through any issues Tamara is having with her schoolwork, maths in particular has been a focus, and […]
Henry was able to tell his daughter to believe in herself through Storytime
When Henry came to Storytime he was full of excitement and said he already knew the book he wanted to make for his daughter Alana. It had been forming in his head […]
Dad is still there: A big year for Robyn and her family
Robyn and her four children have been working with SHINE for several years but this year was a special one as they prepare for dad to return home in February 2022 after […]
Dominique’s positive relationship with her mentor continued to grow this year, despite COVID moving their sessions online
Nine year old Dominque moved in to live with her grandparents two years ago following her dad’s incarceration. While she was able to make friends at her new primary school, she appeared […]
James is determined not to make the same mistakes as his dad
James was set on making a fresh start at being a parent when he signed up for Keeping Us Together and Storytime at Parklea Correctional Centre. He had been in and out of […]
A year of community building and looking to the future
This year the Belonging to Family team at Kempsey have had a homecoming of sorts with the return of Karen Rhodes. Karen was one of the original creators of the Belonging to […]