Kids’ camp in prison aims to restore family bonds before dads’ release

A group of children spent two days this week at a “kids’ camp” in Shelton Abbey prison in Co Wicklow designed to restore links between inmates and their families.

The camp, the first of its kind in Ireland, sees children spend “one-on-one” time with their fathers at the prison in Arklow, said Joe Donohue, governor of the low-security prison, where most of the 102 inmates are nearing the end of their sentences.

During the two-day camp the children and their fathers engaged in comic book workshops, cookery classes, Halloween mask making and other activities. Staff from Arklow Library assisted with the activities.

The children spend the night with their mothers at a nearby hotel, paid for by the Katharine Howard Foundation, a charity which funds local projects.

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“We’re learning what works and what doesn’t work,” said Mr Donohue.

He said staff made an effort to ensure the children, aged between eight and 11, did not experience Shelton Abbey as a prison. For example, there are no searches or drugs dogs present.

The goal, he said, was to strengthen family ties and reduce anxiety about offenders being released back into normal society.

An inmate’s offending had, in some cases, destroyed the family unit, or sometimes they never knew their children at all before being imprisoned, Mr Donohue said. The camp aims to address such issues.

Inmates are often concerned about their children finding out they were in prison, Mr Donohue said, with some families telling them their parent was working abroad.

Mr Donohue said staff encouraged prisoners to be honest with their children. “You don’t fool kids. They find out. They find out on the playground,” he said.

In some cases, he added, prisoners were nervous about returning back to the family. In others, families were worried about having the father back in the house. The camp, along with the prison’s parenting course, tries to reduce these fears. As a bonus, Mr Donohue said, the child’s mother gets a break for a few days.

“This initiative underlines the vital importance of family contact for those in custody. We firmly believe that maintaining strong family bonds is crucial for the wellbeing and rehabilitation of individuals within our care,” said Irish Prison Service director general Caron McCaffrey.

“By providing a supportive environment where families can spend quality time together, we aim to create lasting memories and foster hope for a brighter future,” she said.

Before becoming a prison in 1973, Shelton Abbey was the home of the Howard family, of which Katharine Howard was a member. She spent her summers at the home and later went on to found the Katharine Howard Foundation which is helping to fund the current project.

“This innovative family-focused programme to help children of parents in custody, to strengthen and maintain their family bonds, and to have some Halloween fun, is exactly the kind of project Katharine Howard would have loved,” said the foundation’s chief executive, Dr Cliona Hannon.

“We wish it every success and thank the great team in Shelton for devising this programme.”