You Can Help…
Two important ways to support children and families affected by imprisonment this quarter…
Support for Children (Impact of Parental Imprisonment) (Scotland) Bill
Children with a parent in prison are often unseen, unheard, and unsupported. Mary Fee MSP, who convenes the Parliamentary Cross-Party Group on Children and Families Affected by Imprisonment, has launched a consultation for a Private Member’s Bill that aims to change that. Barnardo’s Scotland, Families Outside, and NSPCC Scotland are working together to support the proposed Support for Children (Impact of Parental Imprisonment) (Scotland) Bill.
The Bill includes a proposal for an impact assessment for children and their families immediately when a parent is sentenced to custody, and for children to be assessed in school for any additional support they might require. You can find more details on this by visiting Mary Fee MSP Mary’s Private Members Bill, but be quick: the Consultation closes on the 7th of May! If a full consultation response isn’t your thing, or you don’t have time to complete one, you can still express your support for the Private Member’s Bill by going to the Barnardo’s site Help Support Children With A Parent In Prison.
“Walking the Talk’ event: Framework for Families Affected by the Criminal Justice System
Next, on the 21st of May, we are delivering a national workshop on this, hosted at Newbattle Abbey by the Lothian & Borders Community Justice Authority. ‘Walking the Talk’: Your Role in the Framework for Families Affected by Imprisonment addresses what the Framework will mean for your practice. Affecting agencies as diverse as prisons, health, education, Criminal Justice and Children & Families Social Workers, police, courts, and voluntary sector organisations, the Framework for Families creates a key tool to ensure the strengths and needs of families affected by imprisonment are recognised and addressed, both for reducing reoffending and for supporting families in their own right. So, wherever you are in Scotland, you have a role! Please join us at Newbattle, contacting [email protected] by Monday 13 May 2015.