Help us raise £5000 to show children with a parent in prison that they are not alone.
These children face shame, isolation, and bullying—all this, on top of the upheaval and upset that comes from having a parent in prison.
Children Heard and Seen is a charity that supports children and young people with a parent in prison, as well as their families. These children and families fall through gaps in statutory services and are often made to feel invisible. At our August Summer Residential, these kids get the chance to meet other children and families just like them. Over the weekend, the children make friends, share their experiences, and most importantly, get to be kids and have fun. We need your support to make this happen. Over 200 families from across England and Wales will attend this year, making it our largest Summer Residential yet!
Your support can help children learn they have nothing to be ashamed of.
Most kids with a parent in prison never mention their parent's arrest to others and never meet other kids in similar situations. Some of these kids and their families have been hounded by the media and their communities because of their parent's crimes—crimes the kids are completely innocent of. They grow up feeling that they've done something wrong and feeling guilty for loving their mum or dad in prison.
This Residential allows children with a parent in prison to see that they're not alone in these feelings. Over the course of the weekend, we run activities that build their self-confidence and self-esteem, raise their aspirations, and celebrate their skills and achievements. Children can talk about their experience of having a parent in prison without being judged, often for the first time. .
How we'll spend the money raised
We will use the money you give us to make this weekend as fun and supportive as possible for the kids. Your money will be spent on...
1. Fun activities like face painting, a slip and slide, a teddy bear picnic, and even a rock-climbing wall!
2. Helping families travel to the residential, so that as many children as possible can reap the benefits of learning that there are other kids in their position. Many of the families we support struggle financially because of parental imprisonment—we want to make sure that those who are struggling most are able to come together and feel less alone.
3. Staff costs for the weekend. Our staff and trained practitioners will do important work throughout the weekend to make sure that the children and families are able to process their feelings and gain confidence. This is a profoundly emotional weekend, and our staff are a large part of that.
Any additional funding raised will be used to fund further in-person activities and residentials for children with a parent in prison throughout the year.
Further details
The residential will take place in late August at the Hill End Outdoor Education Centre in Oxford, a beautiful 67-acre site with plenty of space for the children to play outdoors and connect with nature.