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Our stories
“I feel accepted”: Having a baby changed everything for this new mum in custody
Mum in custody Raegan* has spent much of her life cycling in and out of prison. But this time, something is different.Â
Raegan, in her mid-30s, gave birth to a beautiful baby girl while in custody, and it’s changed everything for her.
Soon after her baby was born, she signed them up for our Playgroup program. They have flourished in the program, and the strong connection mum and bub share is evident.
Raegan has taken to being a mum like a duck to water and has especially appreciated the regular visits from a child nurse who teaches the mums about child health and development.
Our team has loved watching Raegan’s confidence grow, saying, “She has been dedicated to learning everything she possibly could about how to best support her child, and her love for her child is clear.”
“We have discussed tummy time, teething, sleeping, baby leaps and milestones, physical development, language development and everything in between.”
Our team feels confident that when Raegan says that this time it’s different and she won’t be coming back, she means it.
For mums in custody, having this access at playgroup to professional and knowledgeable support is vital to their and their children’s wellbeing.
They don’t have the community support or access to information that parents on the outside do, and so the playgroup sessions are their main chance to learn, share and connect with support.
“We have done lots of activities in Playgroup to promote learning and development for the child, for example, singing songs, making finger puppets, sensory activities such as blowing and catching bubbles, making glitter sensory bottles, as well as lots of tummy time and stories,” our team said.
Our team feels confident that when Raegan says that this time it’s different and she won’t be coming back, she means it.
Our team proudly said, “Reagan is going from strength to strength as a mum. Her baby is thriving – she is healthy, content and meeting all the milestones of the first year of life.”
To make sure our team knew the impact they were having, Raegam recently took the time to share this lovely feedback: “I feel supported and accepted by SHINE”.
*Names and images changed to protect the privacy of program participants.Â
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