Parents of children with eating disorders often feel desperate, anxious and frustrated. Trapped between not pushing their child away and saving their life, parents can struggle with knowing how to juggle being supportive and coping with their own fears. Natasha…
Tag: prison family support
Training course to support children affected by the ‘Hidden Sentence’ of parental imprisonment
At HMP Winchester’s visitors centre, every day inside the prison walls presents challenges. ‘You can’t assume anything of the people coming in and what this visit means to them,’ says Caroline Feltham-King, a volunteer with Spurgeons’ Invisible Walls project. ‘Some…
Musings from Mia: Spurgeons Prison-based Family Support Services
6-year-old Mia* whose dad is in prison shared these insights when she visited the prison on a Spurgeons Family Day. ‘We had to wait for nearly an hour, but it’s worth the wait because you get to see your lovely…
New online multimedia exhibition encourages dads to get creative behind bars
A new online exhibition showcases the work between fathers and Spurgeons colleagues who have been creating projects that benefit their children outside the walls of the prisons. The work has been made into an online exhibition, entitled ‘The Art of…
What are you thankful for? Prisons Week of Prayer 2022
9th October marks the start of Prisons Week of Prayer 2022. Spurgeons helps to create resources for this annual week of prayer which is supported by over thirty Christian organisations working in prisons and post-release. What are you thankful for?…
Prisoner Family Visiting Services: A Mother’s Perspective
Jess (not her real name) had no experience of visiting a prison before her partner was imprisoned at HMP Elmley on the Isle of Sheppey a world away from the family home in Northern Ireland where she lived with their…
Spurgeons colleague recognised for partnership working at national Youth Custody Service Awards
We are proud to share that Nii Anum of Spurgeons Prisoner and Significant Others Service at HMP/YOI Feltham has been recognised for his positive partnership working at the Youth Custody Service Staff Awards. The staff awards, held at HMPS Newbold…
Poems help to heal family bonds
Kerry Longhorn, Service Lead on Spurgeons Invisible Walls project in HMP Winchester says, “We ran a Dads Together group, an informal lunchtime session where dads could talk to us and each other about fatherhood and families. As part of this…
Adam’s story: ”I looked at the world in a new way”
Former prisoner Adam shared at the 10th anniversary celebration how Invisible Walls helped him to be a better father and turn his life around so his children did not follow in his footsteps. Lord Farmer, chair of an Independent Ministry…
A day in the life of Anna – Prison Family Support Worker
CYP Now Awards finalist Anna is the Spurgeons Family Services Practitioner at HMP Ford, an open prison in West Sussex. She gives us an insight into her work. “Every day is different, really! My office is down one end of…