North of England charity Nepacs has published a new resource on their website, accessible to parents in custody and those who work with people in prison.

The resource was launched at a recent event organised by Durham University, Nepacs and Open Clasp Theatre Company, that showcased their latest collaboration, Mothers, Prison and Parental Rights.  The event shone a spotlight on the impact of imprisonment on mothers, focusing on how mothers who have had children removed from their care, navigate their parental rights from inside prison.  

The event showcased the achievements of the Parental Rights in Prison Project, a specialist HMPPS funded prison-based intervention delivered by Nepacs in HMP Low Newton women’s prison.

The Nepacs parental rights in prison project was a 2-year HMPPS innovation grant funded project which was predominantly delivered in HMP & YOI Low Newton and expanded to the HMP Durham and HMP Kirklevington in year two. The project was developed to explore how support around family law might be improved and included:

• Delivery of pro bono legal rights workshops by Ben Hoare Bell Solicitors
• Drop-in support sessions – developed and delivered in male estate
• Case work support
• Development and delivering of parental rights in prison training for anyone working with parents in custody
• And a self-help guide for common contact issues – the newly launched ‘Parental rights in custody’ resource booklet.

Amanda Lacey, chief executive of Nepacs, said: “When we set up the parental rights in prison project, initially in HMP Low Newton women’s prison, the mothers said they felt abandoned, isolated and lost, before, during and after court proceedings. The majority had children removed from their care prior to coming into prison and/or had children removed from their care as consequence of their prison sentence.

“The mothers did not know their legal rights in relation to their children and in some cases did not know where their children were living. And on some occasions they had been given inaccurate or no information about their legal and parental rights, which caused significant harm to mothers and their children.

“Our parental rights in prison project gave parents in prison (predominantly mothers) specialist family support, guidance and legal advocacy around their parental rights. We are delighted with the success of the project and the impact this had on the women and men involved. The research report on the project showed that women talked about feeling calmer and less anxious, more hopeful for the future, often stemming from (re)-establishing contact with their children (where appropriate) following engagement with our parental rights in prison support worker.

“We hope that the resource and training we have developed will continue to provide individuals working with parents in custody with the support and guidance needed, and ultimately ensure that parents in custody are given accurate and timely information and support around their children, their parental rights and how they can stay involved in their children’s lives, where appropriate.”

One of the women who received support from the project said: “I still have rights even though I’m like in prison. Like all me’ other rights have been took away, but the most important rights haven’t, me’ rights as a mum, that’s the most important thing.”

Durham University, who independently evaluated the project, presented their findings and recommendations at the launch event and Open Clasp Theatre Company brought these findings to life through their performance of Rupture, a one woman show, co-created with mothers from HMP Low Newton. Live performances of Rupture at community, prison and arts venues in the North East are planned for March 2025. 

Dr Kate O’Brien, author of the evaluation report states: “There is a pressing need for mothers in custodial settings to have access to advocacy and specialist support around their parental rights.  Our research highlighted that the NEPACS’ Parental Rights in Prison Project played a vital role in supporting mothers separated from their children.”   

The Nepacs parental rights in custody resource is available for download at https://www.nepacs.co.uk/page/parental-rights-in-prison-resource-booklet and the research report produced by Durham University is available here: https://www.nepacs.co.uk/page/parental-rights-in-prison-project-evaluation