Liverpool’s prison family hub: Supporting prisoners and their children through relationship focused support programmes

Liverpool City Council partnered with Merseyside Violence Reduction Partnership (MVRP), whose objective was to reduce rates of violence within the city.

There are challenges within the prison due to the high turnover of prisoners who cannot always commit to the full ten weeks of The Nurturing Programme. 

The MVRP asked what could be done from a children’s family hubs perspective. Liverpool was already successfully running The Nurturing Programme (developed by the Centre for Emotional Health) in their family hubs and in communities across the city. It was decided the programme would be trialled in HMP Altcourse, a Category B men's private prison and Young Offender Institution. 

The MVRP funded this area of work for twelve months. Sue Campbell, Prison Parenting and Engagement Lead, led the delivery of programme, alongside other Centre for Emotional Health programmes and other family hub services specifically for the men and their families. 

Sue facilitates the delivery of the Nurturing Programme to a group of eight fathers in prison. This also included grandfathers and uncles in her cohort of learners. Ten sessions are led over a three-week timescale, with each one focusing on a new topic such as choices and consequences, helping children grow up, child development, feelings and what we do with them, and how we communicate. The programme is taken to the prisoners in the wings of the prison, when there is little space, and after the sessions they are given a parent manual book containing the content in order to reaffirm what they’ve learnt. As part of a whole family approach to help understand prisoner’s relationships, their children’s mothers are often brought in, and their mental health is discussed and signposted for further help. 

Following the success of The Nurturing Programme, the MVRP and Liverpool City Council agreed extension for Sue’s role to continue and for her to offer further Family Hub Services and support to prisoners and their families. Sue is now able to offer a package of parenting and family support services which includes the following: 

• ‘Welcome to the World’ – an antenatal programme formed of five sessions that involve the father in the mother’s pregnancy. In the final session a midwife attends and talks to both about any worries and concerns.
• Baby Programme – five sessions for fathers of young babies to help promote bonding and attachment.
• Dads Stay and Play (one years – five years) – sessions to focus on meaningful play, interaction and connection between father and child.
• Dad and Kids Club (five plus years) – sessions to focus on meaningful interaction, play and connection between father and child.
• Vinnies Visits – sessions for children with neuro diverse conditions who find it difficult to attend normal social visits.
• Family Play and Therapy – One to one sessions for children who are struggling with dad being in prison, also one to one support provided by the family councillor for partners of prisoners.
• Storytime Dads – an initiative that gives dads the opportunity to read a story to their child that is sent via a link to them.

The sessions promote cooperation and stronger relationships within the wings once the sessions have finished. The group of prisoners become closer and are often asking each other about how their children are getting on. The fathers feel closer to their children as they learn skills that will be helpful as their children reach developmental milestones. 

Reports are sent to the MVRP each quarter and includes reflections from what the fathers took away from each session, such as what they learnt about their baby, and whether the programme made a difference for them. 

Sustainability:

• Liverpool City Council has now taken over the funding from the MVRP, which now ensures Sue’s role is permanent and the project work is sustained. This was a recommendation from Liverpool John Moores University who did a study of this work. 

• The work doesn’t end after the Nurturing Programme has finished, and the fathers need to be seen putting their learning into practice. This is why other family interventions have been introduced.
• The fathers want people to ask them about their children, as it brings them a sense of normality and a feeling that they are still a parent despite being in prison, and can still make a difference in their child’s lives. 
• The families can be connected to Liverpool City Councils new “Family Ties Reimagined” project if required, where families can receive further targeted family support interventions, such as access to Family Help and mental health support.

Sue Campbell

Prison Parenting and Engagement Lead, Liverpool City Council
Email: [email protected]

Harris, J, Hearne, E and Quigg, Z (2024) An Evaluation of The Nurturing Programme for Fathers at HMP Altcourse. Technical Report. Public Health Institute, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool.