Visiting a prison is unsettling for everyone, but especially children, who are full of mixed emotions about seeing their parent in a strange environment.
So, ensuring there’s a child-friendly and welcoming area in the visits space, complete with games and toys, and a warm face to greet them, makes a huge difference.
For many families, having this area is the difference between a happy visit with loved ones and deciding not to bring children to see their much-missed parent at all.
And so it’s been very welcome news to families travelling from near and far to visit their Dad at Bathurst Correctional Centre that SHINE for Kids Supported Visits are back.
‘Thanks for what you did with the kids … they just wanted to come back and play games with you!
Our team member set up an area in the visiting room with colourful activities, crafts, toys and books and waited for the happy little faces to arrive.
And when they did, the relief parents felt was palpable.
The support and activities provided by our team helped children to connect and bond with their parent in custody, sharing in experiences together rather than just sitting at a table, which is difficult for children to do.
Parents were also able to have serious and much-needed discussions without interruption while their children played with our team member.
As the visit drew to a close, several parents approached our team to express their gratitude for the support they had received.
“One mother approached me and said, ‘Thank you so much. [The kids] had a really good time.'”.
“A dad also expressed his appreciation, saying, ‘Thanks for what you did with the kids … they just wanted to come back and play games with you! We really appreciate what you did.”
However, it was feedback from one of the visits by a person who did not have children that stood out the most to our team.
“As I was leaving, another person in custody came up to me and shared a touching moment saying, “My missus and I don’t have any kids, but we were sitting over there and we could hear the kids having fun with you. It was great.”
It shows just how much of a difference happy, laughing children can make to a day, and how important it is that child-friendly areas are made available in every visit.
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