New resource shares children’s experiences of their dads going to prison

A new pack of arts activities developed by Nepacs and Helix Arts, Hidden Voices, has been released today.

The resource, co-produced with artists, children whose dads are in custody, and men in prison whose children are back home, will help fathers in prisons reflect on the impact of their offending on their children at home.

Children in North East England worked with professional musicians to co-create songs that openly share their experiences of seeing their dads go to prison. Dads at HMP Kirklevington Grange listened closely to the songs and were inspired to work with them to co-design a ‘kitbag’ of creative activities based around the songs.

The kitbag will be used with other dads in prison to stimulate conversations about underlying issues, reflect on behaviours, promote empathy, increase understanding and ultimately help rebuild family relationships and resilience.

Working with the song-writers and musicians was a completely fresh way for the children to find the words to express the feelings they had been burying or ignoring. The process helped them feel very differently about their experiences – it helped them come to terms with their situation and prepare for a different future.
– Catherine Hearne, CEO Helix Arts

You can download the kitbags for free from the Nepacs website here

Read National Criminal Justice Arts Alliance chair Alison Frater’s blog on Hidden Voices here