Children of people in custody at HMP Edinburgh bonded with their dads through a game of football.
Staff at the establishment used the sport as a way of bringing families together in a way many people take for granted.
The idea of Physical Education Instructor (PEI) Charlie Kivlin, the “Fathers and Football” event gave individuals in our care the chance to spend time with their children in a relaxed and fun activity, away from the confines of the prison visit room.
The children involved were identified by HMP Edinburgh’s Family Contact Officers through the ‘Play, learn, Connect’ visits, and were all between the ages of six and 12.
The session was facilitated by Johnny Brown, a former Prison Officer, but now Football Development Manager at Bonnyrigg Rose Football Club and Liam Buchanan, who plays for the team. Liam spent a large part of his early years visiting his father in prison, therefore his insight and input was particularly valuable.
Recognising the fact that children are often stigmatised because of their parents’ imprisonment, one of the PEIs involved in delivering the event, brought in his own daughter to participate too. This was a small, but really effective way of promoting inclusion and breaking down any potential barriers.
After the coaching sessions, the children, their dads and the coaches all sat together to reflect on what they enjoyed about the day over some pizza and sandwiches.
PEI Charlie said: “When a parent goes to prison, the children left behind miss out on a whole host of normal, formative experiences. Playing football with your dad is one simple example of this. We therefore wanted to offer this opportunity for dads to bond with their children, create positive memories and have fun together.”