Fathers in prison will be allowed to play with their children and enjoy family meals as part of a new scheme | British news

Fathers locked up in two Scottish prisons will be allowed to play with their children and enjoy family meals in what is believed to be the world’s first fatherhood program to be delivered in a prison.

The weekly sessions are designed to improve relationships and promote healthy behaviors between the incarcerated fathers and their children, and include positive rough play, fitness activities and games to promote movement skills.

At the end of each session, detainees also have the opportunity to sit at the table and enjoy a meal with their children and partner or family member who accompanied the young people.

The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) said it was the first time the Healthy Dads, Healthy Kids (HDHK) programme, which was developed in Australia, had been delivered in a prison setting.

The eight-week program was first delivered at HMP Barlinnie in Glasgowfollowed by HMP Perth, and has so far involved fourteen families with children aged five to twelve.

One participant said, “I think it was great to reconnect with my son in a way that you probably can’t even put into words.”

Another inmate emphasized that the opportunity to spend quality time together outside the confines of the visiting room was particularly impactful, saying: “Just the simple fact that the family is sitting with you, eating at a table. It’s a completely different dynamic. .”

The program was developed by a research team from the Universities of Glasgow and Stirling, together with the University of Newcastle in New South Wales.

The SPS said HDHK in Prisons was part of a two-year study that aimed to answer wider questions about ways to improve men’s health, wellbeing and family relationships while in prison and after their release.

The SPS pointed to studies that have shown that those in prison are “at higher risk of increased mortality and poor health”, and that children of incarcerated parents “have poorer health, education and offending compared to other children”.

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The weekly workshops, delivered by prison staff, include a ‘dads only’ session which focuses on exploring the theory around topics such as ‘the importance of being a father’, ‘raising healthy children’ and ‘positive parenting’.

SPS said the program uses “enjoyable shared physical activity sessions and family meals to improve their health, wellbeing and relationships; ultimately breaking potential intergenerational cycles of disadvantage and reducing recidivism”.

HDHK continues at HMP Barlinnie and will now be introduced at HMPs Low Moss, Shotts, Kilmarnock and Dumfries in the coming months.

In a statement, the research team from the Universities of Glasgow and Stirling, led by Professor Cindy Gray, Professor Kate Hunt and Dr Linda Brown, said: “Healthy Dads, Healthy Kids at HMP Barlinnie has been a great success in creating a positive difference in the lives of the men, their children and the family members involved.

“The program has fostered closer bonds and warmer relationships between the men and their children, marking a meaningful step in strengthening family ties.

“The success is down to the exceptional skill, compassion and dedication of the staff involved.”