What the service does
Ormiston Families’ Breaking Barriers service provides support for children and young people affected by the imprisonment of a close family member.
Tailored one-to-one support reduces anxiety around prison, and supports emotional wellbeing and school attendance.
By providing a safe space for them to talk, play and express themselves, we enable children and young people to explore their feelings and break down some of the barriers which may prevent them from maintaining positive ties with their imprisoned family members.
For professionals
Our Breaking Barriers team can provide talks and presentations to teachers, social workers, police officers and other professionals to help them understand the ‘hidden sentence’ which is often endured by children and young people with a parent or family member in prison.
An estimated 192,912 children every year have a parent in prison in England and Wales and 10,000 visits are made by children to our public prisons every week.
Read the Cambridge Institute of Criminology’s evaluation of our Breaking Barriers service:
Contact us
To make a referral, book a talk or for a general discussion about the service, please contact our team at bbreferrals@ormistonfamilies.org.uk.
Billie’s Story
“After witnessing the witnessing the traumatic arrest of her father in her family home, Billie was left feeling confused, angry and overwhelmed. With her close bond with her father shattered, Billie struggled to manage her emotions and cope with the drastic changes in her life. Breaking Barriers stepped in to give Billie the support she so desperately needed.”
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