Health Improvement Lead (Community Justice), Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership
When a family member is involved in the justice system, the impact on the wider family’s health and wellbeing can be significant with a range of effects on children and young people. In recognition of this, NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde commissioned research to identify ways of improving the experiences for children and young people in the Greater Glasgow area. The research was conducted over 18 months in 2018 and 2019 by a consortium from the Universities of Salford and Huddersfield and support from Families Outside. CLICK BELOW TO READ THE FULL REPORT ‘Constructive Connections: building resilience in families affected by the criminal justice system (2019)’.
As a result of the Constructive Connections research NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde commissioned Families Outside to develop and deliver awareness raising sessions on the research findings and the impacts on families, children and young people.
Sessions were delivered in February 2020 to professionals working in Health and Social Care. The evaluations highlighted scope for development of sessions that could look to focus more on supporting and responding to children and young people who have a family member in prison. In 2020/21 NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde funded Families Outside to develop training content into sessions suitable for online delivery and to deliver seven sessions during February to July 2021.
The Constructive Connections research was used as the foundation for the training sessions ensuring that the voices of families, children and young people were paramount and heard throughout. A key and emotive message from young people was to ‘humanise their experience’ from the point of the family member’s arrest and beyond. The Families Outside children and young people’s peer support group was also consulted to ensure that the activities developed as part of the training were relevant and appropriate.
Learning outcomes for the training session were to:
- Increase awareness of the impact imprisonment has on families, children, and young people;
- Explore how parental imprisonment impacts on children’s rights; and
- Identify ways to respond to the needs of children and young people affected by imprisonment.
In total 58 participants attended the Constructive Connections Training sessions. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive:
Meeting learning outcomes
- 79% strongly agreed that the training had met the learning outcomes set; and
- 21% agreed.
I feel more confident in supporting children affected by imprisonment after attending this training –
- 65% strongly agreed that they felt more confident; and
- 30% agreed.
Quotes from participants highlight the benefits from attending the Constructive Connections Training session.
“Good training which raised my awareness about the impact of imprisonment.”
“Made me realise how little I know about the CJS so workshops around that would be useful.”
“This was excellent training session and the level of learning and support was fabulous. I feel much confident working with a young person and their family now and if I don’t know the answer, I have knowledge of other service supports or professionals that can help. I would recommend this training to everyone working with children and families.”
