We are fundraising to create a Bright Space at HMP Forest Bank for the children visiting their fathers in prison. 

Children impacted by parental imprisonment experience multiple disadvantages and are twice as likely to experience mental health difficulties compared to their peers. 

Prison visits can also be stressful, involving long journeys, an intimidating environment, and distress at being separated at the end of each visit. 

The Bright Space at HMP Forest Bank will provide a welcoming, child-friendly play environment in the prison visiting area. It will support positive interactions between children and their fathers; and hopefully  encourage them to visit so that family relationships can be maintained, to support reduced re-offending.

The Bright Space will contain defined play areas, for babies through to teens, and opportunities for children and their fathers to enjoy role play, art, construction, reading, games, and homework activities together. 

Maintaining family ties has been shown to support offender rehabilitation. Research from the Ministry of Justice found that, ‘for a prisoner who receives visits from a family member, the odds of re-offending are 39% lower than for those who do not’, while the 2017 Farmer Review states that, ‘harnessing the resource of good family relationships must be a golden thread running through the processes of all prisons'.