9 August 2026, Uherce Mineralne (Poland) – 32 children and 19 imprisoned parents took part in another event organised as part of the international Game with Mum & Dad project. Held on a school’s football pitch next to the Uherce Mineralne Prison in Poland, the event gave families the opportunity to spend quality time together through sport and, above all, to strengthen their relationships.
GWMD is an international initiative that uses sport, play and shared activities between parents and children as tools for building and maintaining family bonds when a parent is in prison. The initiative originated in Italy in 2015 with Bambinisenzasbarre and is now being implemented in several European countries with the coordination of Children of Prisoners Europe.
During the event in Uherce Mineralne, children and their parents took part in a football match and a range of activities prepared especially for families. The day was filled with sport, laughter, games and shared experiences, but above all, it created an opportunity for families to simply spend time together.
For children, meetings of this kind are particularly important. They allow them to experience their parent primarily as a mother or father, rather than only as a person serving a prison sentence. For parents, these meetings provide an opportunity to maintain relationships, rebuild trust and remain actively involved in their children’s lives despite the restrictions resulting from imprisonment.
Family relationships as part of reintegration
The organisers emphasise that maintaining family relationships can play an important role in the social reintegration of people leaving prison.
“Reintegration also begins with relationships. With knowing that there are people outside prison who care about us and for whom we matter. Game with Mum & Dad gives parents and children an opportunity to create positive shared experiences that can remain meaningful long after the event itself“
— the project organisers explained.
The imprisoned parents were also actively involved in preparing the event. Their participation provided an additional opportunity to develop responsibility, cooperation, planning skills and sensitivity to the needs of others, while contributing to the broader process of rehabilitation and reintegration.
Cooperation between institutions and partners
The event was organised thanks to the cooperation between COPE member Probacja and Uherce Mineralne Prison. The commitment of the prison officers was remarkable, from their openness to the initiative to their professional organisation of the event
“We would like to express our sincere thanks to the entire team at Uherce Mineralne Prison for their excellent cooperation, commitment and hospitality. An event like this requires careful preparation and the involvement of many people. In Uherce Mineralne, we encountered great openness and a genuine willingness to work together for the benefit of families”
– says the team of Probacja.
The event was also organised in cooperation with the Podkarpacki Football Association, which supported the sporting activities and prepared special gifts for all the children taking part in the match.
The event was also attended by a representative of the Regional Inspectorate of the Prison Service in Rzeszów. The organisers greatly appreciated the Inspectorate’s openness to initiatives aimed at strengthening family relationships and its interest in the Game with Mum & Dad project.
Sport as a tool for building relationships
GWMD demonstrates that sport can be much more than a competition. When used in a carefully prepared environment, it can become a tool for communication, cooperation and relationship-building.
“Game with Mum & Dad is not about the score. What matters most is what happens around the match – playing together, talking, laughing, physical closeness, mutual support and the feeling that, for a few hours, you can simply be a family”
– the organisers emphasise.
