When Delia*, 8, and Tom*, 5, went with their grandmother to visit dad in custody at Wellington Correctional Centre, they came away with memories of time with dad and also a fun new skill!
The children have been living with their grandmother in Bathurst while their father is incarcerated and have been having a hard time adjusting to him being so far away (an almost two-hour drive).
Because of this, they aren’t able to visit often. But when they do, they are greeted by our friendly team in our purple T-shirts and made to feel comfortable.
Our local team always provides lots of fun activities and crafts for visiting families, and this one weekend, she set up an origami workshop.
The children absolutely loved it, and their grandmother exclaimed to our local Bathurst team member (who supports the family locally) a few weeks after their visit that they’ve continued to create origami masterpieces at home!
It’s a small mindful act that helps the children spend calm time daily and reminds them that their dad might not be at home, but he is still a part of their lives.
*Names changed to protect children’s identities.