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 they came into the visit area (as were the dads!), but as soon as everyone saw each other, they “melted into tears,” said our team.
“There were hugs and tears all around. All the nerves went away, and the kids and their dads just enjoyed playing and having fun together.”
Two of the dads had never met some of their children in person before, so the day was especially significant for them.
With families living far away, this child-friendly visit makes the long trip worthwhile.
Painting, crafts, toys and outdoor games were on offer so the children and dads could move around and take part in different activities, all helping to ‘break the ice’ and aid connection after so long apart.
Before long, everyone was smiling and laughing.
Some of the children started a game of tip with their dad, running around outside in the grass, and others got busy creating art together with their dad.
This was in stark contrast to regular visits when everyone is seated on opposite sides of a table.
Being able to move, jump and run makes these days child-focused and friendly, giving families the time and space they need to connect.
One of the children had never been to visit before as they found the idea intimidating, but decided they’d come to this day when they heard there would be games and fun things to do with their dad.
A dad plays with his kids at Clarence’s first Child & Parent Day.
Our team was on hand to help the entire time, letting the dads take the lead when engaging with their kids but always nearby to support them.
One dad, Pete*, told our team at the start that he felt a bit awkward and wasn’t sure what to do.
His two and four-year-old children were so excited to see him but also unsure how to interact with their dad after so long apart.
We helped settle the family into some activities together and reminded Pete that it was a big emotional day for his children and to try to understand how they must be feeling.
“They just needed time to warm up,” said our team. “They settled in, and I could see Pete* was really happy with himself by the end. He told me he hadn’t had the chance to bond with his kids until today, and he wanted to do another one soon!”
Another dad, Amid*, who had never met his daughter in person before, was quite anxious, but as soon as he saw her his worries disappeared.
Sara* was absolutely at ease with her dad, and her friendliness and joy were infectious with Amid* overjoyed that she was even calling him ‘Dad’ by the end of the day.
A popular activity was creating painted hand prints for both the dads and children to take back to help them them remember their time together.
When lunch was served, some of the children were delighted to learn that it had been prepared by their dad!
Dad Andre* was thrilled to have the chance to cook for the occasion and serve his children one of their favourite meals.
When one of his daughters saw the special dish, she exclaimed, “Oh wow! We haven’t seen this in so long! We’ve missed Dad so much. He used to cook this all the time!”
Andre’s daughter was so excited she even ran over and encouraged our team to try the lunch (reported as delish!).
Crafts were available for children to enjoy together with their dad.
When it was time to say goodbye, everyone came up to say thank you, with one child saying, “This is the best visit I’ve ever had”.
One of the oldest children in attendance at 14, Grace*, told us that she was moved by how everyone on the day was “super nice” and said the Child & Parent Day gave her and her little sisters “quality time with Dad”.
“I very rarely cry, but even I was in tears at the end,” said our team.
“Seeing the appreciation on the men’s faces afterwards and the smiles on the kid’s faces, it was a beautiful day!”
Thank you to the team at Serco who supported this day.
*Names are changed to protect participants.
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