GWMD in Sollicciano prison, Florence – 9 June 2025. It is a sunny day—warm, but not hot. The hills around Florence offer a breeze that invites you to run and expend your energy. Everyone is in high spirits, some extremely so, because there are children who have come to realise that it’s really true: there will be no disappointment. They will finally be able to meet their fathers after such a long time.
Some have been waiting for months, others for years. They will even get to play with them. These will be unforgettable moments. And when their fathers return home—because they will return home, of that they are certain—the children will recount this moment again and again, reliving it each time.
Children and their detained parents gathered in the “Giardino degli Incontri” (Garden of Encounters), a partially covered green space within the Sollicciano prison in Florence. There, they were welcomed by Irene Cantarella, Legal and Educational Officer at the institution, and Floriana Battevi, co-founder and vice-president of Bambinisenzasbarre.
Since its launch in 2015, this marks the first time that the Tuscan prison has participated in the Game with Mum & Dad initiative, promoted and organised by Bambinisenzasbarre (BSS). This milestone reflects the Florentine prison’s growing attention to the importance of maintaining parental relationships during incarceration, and underscores the effectiveness of the initiative in improving, strengthening, and preserving the bond between children and their imprisoned parents.
National and local media were informed through press releases, newsletters, personal emails and numerous direct phone calls from BSS communications team. The response was positive—they confirmed their attendance. With the constant support of BSS, they completed all necessary bureaucratic procedures and secured the required permits. And indeed, they came. Among them was a crew from RAI, the national public broadcaster.
For these journalists, prison is typically filmed only from the outside: high walls, watchtowers, reinforced doors, bolts and bars—always the same, always the most filmed subject.
“The media people, certainly somewhat shocked by an unexpected and unprecedented reality…”
But this time, they found themselves in an entirely different world. They were inside the prison walls—not in long, armored corridors, but on a small lawn. There, enthusiastic children ran alongside smiling inmates, all dressed in yellow or navy blue T-shirts. The air was filled with the noise of cheering families, the sight of the prison director smiling from a high window, and officers discreetly keeping out of frame.
The media, clearly struck by this unexpected and unprecedented scene, moved quickly to film everything and speak to everyone. Many of them commented: “I never would have imagined something like this.” Inside these barbed-wire walls, the children had become the true protagonists of a new kind of reality.
A total of 11 imprisoned parents—nine fathers and two mothers—and 22 children took part in the “match.” In fact, at Sollicciano, for the first time in Italy, Game with Mum and Dad was played with both mothers and fathers together.
And this became “a story within the story” in the media coverage.
“The game allowed us to spend time together in a different way from the usual prison visits.”
The day unfolded in a peaceful and relaxed atmosphere, with the children fully at the center of their parents’ attention—perhaps even more so than in everyday family life outside the prison. The Game with Mum and Dad (GWMD) offered a unique opportunity to spend time together in a way that was not only different from regular prison visits, but also more emotionally intense and meaningful than many moments shared outside prison walls.
The morning’s activities were attended by, in addition to Floriana Battevi and Irene Cantarella, Don Stefano, the prison chaplain; Dr. Vitrani and Dr. Angioletti, representing the prison administration; and a UISP coach who prepared the playing field.
At the end of the GWMD, all participants—children, parents and staff—enjoyed a snack prepared by one of the imprisoned mothers, which was warmly received and appreciated by everyone.
The following day, the participating parents joined a follow-up meeting led by Dr. Cantarella, where they reflected on their experience. Each parent was invited to express their emotions from the day by choosing a color that captured their feelings.
Here are some of the reflections collected:
- “White: everything gave me peace—it was all white, spending two hours with my son.”
- “Sunflower yellow: sunshine and joy with my three wonderful children. I was struck by how we were all together; it felt like being in a park, not in a prison.”
- “Yellow: in recent days, I had only seen darkness. Yesterday, I saw yellow—light. I saw hope.”
- “Green: the green of the garden, but also the green of hope. Being together and sharing gave me a sense of freedom. As one father said: “In other visits, each family is separated. Here, we were all together.”
Irene Cantarella added:
“The colours of the rainbow. It went really well, and I finally saw you smile. These are days that benefit everyone—not only the detainees. It gives us back a sense of meaning in our work.
One imprisoned father said simply:
“Yesterday, I appreciated once again the meaning of being human.”
These are the voices from the day after the GWMD event:
- “I saw him playing with the other children.” —Father in prison
- “Yesterday, I appreciated once again the meaning of being human. When I wake up, I feel chained. But yesterday, I felt free—I felt like I had wings.” —Imprisoned father
- “My children were delighted. They said to me: ‘I’m happy, Mum.’” —Mother in prison
- “It was great. I’ve never played so much with my son.” —Father in prison
- “The younger children had the most fun, but in the end even the older ones enjoyed themselves—it felt like one big family.” —Mother in prison
- “My son made friends with another child. They exchanged phone numbers so they won’t feel alone.” —Father in prison
- “My son was so happy—he had a different kind of day. It was also a special day for me. I was arrested when he was only one year old, and we were in the middle of the pandemic. Even now, I rarely see him because they live far away. During normal visits, I end up spending more time with my wife. Yesterday was different.” —Father in prison
One of the key outcomes of the day was the opportunity to verify—quite literally on the field—that the GWMD model is an effective tool for activating, strengthening and maintaining the bond between children and their imprisoned parents. Its impact is especially significant when implemented as a long-term, continuous project, developed and managed throughout the year, with children’s voices and perspectives placed at the heart of the process. For the past three years, the COPE (Children of Prisoners Europe) network has been implementing it through its member organisations in over a dozen European countries, where it has been met with widespread positive outcomes.
