Research into Practice How do we know what helps? Dr. Nancy Loucks Families Outside Conference Glasgow, 28 November 2006

Robertson Trust pilot projects The Lighthouse Foundation Family Support Project HOPE Family & Addictions project One Stop Childcare (now SmileChildcare) Families United programme

Lighthouse Foundation Kilmarnock area Regular presence at HMP Kilmarnock prison Visitors’ Centre Independent charity for families of people with addictions Offer support, counselling, advice, and information

“… we have a collect-call system through which criminals support the cost of incarceration instead of taxpayers.” “A collect-call system? Isn’t that the families paying for the calls?” “Families, criminals – it’s the same thing.” Bernstein 2005: 87

HOPE Family & Addictions Project Glasgow-based charity to support prisoners and their families Parenting programme as part of addictions course in HMP Barlinnie Support both prisoners and families Needs-based service

“Putting bars between a woman and her children may be enough to make her think about how she has hurt them, but if you offer her no means of making things better, that painful realization can lead right back to drugs.” Bernstein 2005: 245

One Stop Child Care Families United Programme Now SmileChildcare Independent charity focused on the needs of families and carers 12 2-hour sessions at HMP Edinburgh Course to identify how prisoners can support family and improve own caring role Initially to include partner

“Think about how central being a parent is to our lives, how it motivates us, causes us to act one way or another. To presume to motivate prisoners towards changing their lives and not include in the calculus their relationship with their children is bizarre.” - Ben de Haan, Children’s Justice Alliance, Oregon

What have we learned? Reach people where they are Address actual needs Engage and challenge prisoners in their role Engage families Ensure that services exist and that they continue to exist

Dr. Nancy Loucks