Dads in UK prison can play and eat with their kids under new scheme

Dads in one of Britain's biggest prisons have been allowed time to play and have meals with their children in a pioneering scheme, which aims to foster closer family relationships.

The Healthy Dads, Healthy Kids initiative at HMP Barlinnie, which was initially developed in Australia, is being trialled in a prison environment with its introduction to Barlinnie jail in Scotland the first time it has been run in a prison environment.

The project aims to give children the chance to see their fathers outside of the visitation room, allowing them to play in more natural environments and sit down for dinner as a family.

Sessions are delivered by prison staff, kicking off with a "fathers only" discussion around parenting and fatherhood, before children join their dads for the activity session, which allows kids and dads to practice positive physical play and movement skills like throwing and catching.

At the end of each session, the children and their fathers are able to enjoy a meal with their partner, or another family member who has accompanied the child.

"I think it’s been great to reconnect with my son in a way you probably cannot even put it into words," one participant said of the scheme. "It brought my attention to things like active listening and being present, and things that you don’t really mean to overlook, but life gets in the way."

The dad said that during the sessions, participants get a chance to interact with their children in a different way as there aren't any "outside pressures".

Another inmate taking part part added: “Just the simple fact the family are sitting down having a meal with you, using a table. It’s a completely different dynamic”.

Developed by a research team from the Universities of Glasgow and Stirling and the University of Newcastle in New South Wales, HDHK in Prison’ forms part of a two-year study which seeks to address wider questions about ways to improve the health, wellbeing and family relationships of men while in prison and following their release.

With people in prison at a higher risk of increased mortality and poor health, as well as children of incarcerated parents suffering poorer health and education, the programme aims to improve the health, wellbeing, and relationships of family members and ultimately break possible inter-generational cycles of disadvantage and reduce recidivism.

Previous research, from the Ministry of Justice, has suggested meaningful family ties are vital for preventing prisoner reoffending, with reoffending rates 39% lower for a prisoner who receives visits from a partner or family member during their sentence than for a prisoner who does not receive such visits.

There could be wellbeing benefits for children too with a previous study finding that kids whose dads spend time playing with them at an early age could find it easier to control their behaviour and emotions when they get older.

The eight-week programme was first delivered in HMP Barlinnie, and followed by HMP Perth, and has so far involved 14 families with children aged between five to 12.

After deeming the initial projects a success, HMP Barlinnie staff trained a further 23 colleagues from prisons around the country to allow them to facilitate the programme elsewhere, with it soon to be introduced to HMPs Low Moss, Shotts, Kilmarnock and Dumfries.

The research team at the Universities of Glasgow and Stirling, led by Prof Cindy Gray, Prof Kate Hunt and Dr Linda Brown said: "Healthy Dads, Healthy Kids at HMP Barlinnie has been a great success in making a positive difference in the lives of the men, their children, and the family members involved.

"The programme has fostered closer bonds and warmer relationships between the men and their children, marking a meaningful step in strengthening family connections. Its success has been due to the exceptional skill, compassion, and dedication of the staff involved."

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