An inspiring event brings our Winter Appeal to an end

Our Breaking Barriers Winter Appeal ended with our first Breaking Barriers Conference in Ipswich, which provided an opportunity for some crucial conversations about how we can better support families affected by imprisonment.

Nearly 150 delegates heard from speakers with backgrounds in education, rehabilitation and research who shed light on how having a loved one go to prison affects an estimated 192,000 children in the UK.

The stigma of having a loved one imprisoned can have a profound impact on a child’s mental health – hurting their education, relationships with loved ones and causing lasting trauma.

The conference heard how this trauma can be as powerful as a bereavement.

But while the loss of a parent to bereavement is met with sympathy for those left behind, an imprisonment of a close family member is often met with judgment, abuse and isolation.

This is despite a point which was raised several times at the conference – the crime of the parent or loved one is not the child’s fault.

Our Breaking Barriers service works with these children and gives them a chance to work through their trauma and better understand what they are going through.

The most powerful moments of the conference came from those directly affected by imprisonment, including moving stories from young people, parents and ex-prisoners.

An art exhibition with works produced by children and young people who have worked with our Breaking Barriers service was also on display. The works expressed the children’s feelings about having a parent in prison and had lots of positive feedback.

It was an important and fascinating afternoon and we would like to thank all of our speakers and delegates for making it so successful.

Thank you to Suffolk Archives for hosting us and to our event sponsors Ormiston Trust and Provide Community.

Thank you to Andrew Thompson, Ormiston Trust, AccuGrit, ctm Information Technology-it , Cambridge Support and Evouchers for sponsoring the artwork exhibition.

Although our Winter Appeal is ending, you can still support us with a donation by clicking here to visit our JustGiving page.

Find out more

Help us raise money for families in need across the East of England