Foldvik Familiepark in Stavem, Norway (© Kirkens Bymisjon) This summer, Kirkens Bymisjon, a Norwegian association and member of the COPE network, carried out a series of initiatives aimed at fostering meaningful connections between children and their imprisoned parents. This year, the organisation didn’t host in-prison football events as part of the ‘Game with Mum & Dad’ … Lire plus

On Saturday August 10 “Game with Mum & Dad” took place in the north of Scotland. For the second year in a row, COPE member NGO Families Outside hosted a football game  in a high security prison in Aberdeenshire. Sixteen parents in prison took part, welcoming fifteen children to the game. “Game with Mum & … Lire plus

On September 22, 2023, Alice Vévodová, the first female FIFA referee from the Czech Republic, (see here) attended the ‘Game with Mum & Dad’ event at Jirice Prison, Czech Republic. The event took place in the prison’s gymnasium, where 16 children and 10 imprisoned fathers gathered for a day of sports, art workshops, board games … Lire plus

Prisons are generally not designed as child-friendly spaces. Children who visit their imprisoned parents are often exposed to intimidating and harsh environments. However, regular and ongoing contact with a parent in prison when in children’s best interests is crucial for every child’s well-being. Prisons can evolve into more supportive and accommodating environments for families. This … Lire plus

GWMD in Novara Italy (© Bambinisenzasbarre) On the morning of Wednesday, September 18, ‘Game with Mum & Dad’ was played in the Novara Prison (Piedmont, Italy), thanks to the organisation of COPE member Bambinisenzasbarre. In Italy, ‘Game with Mum & Dad’ was organised for the first time in 2015 in Milan and has since become … Lire plus

On Sunday, September 22, the first ‘Game with Mum & Dad’ event in Germany took place at Bremen Prison, marking a memorable day for four imprisoned fathers and their nine children. The event was organised by COPE member Hoppenbank e.V., a grassroots association that supports prisoners and relatives. The gymnasium at Bremen Prison was transformed … Lire plus

On September 11, the Busto Arsizio Prison, Italy, hosted the ‘Game with Mum & Dad’. The event took place in the morning, with four imprisoned parents and seven children participating. At 10 o’clock in the morning the children, accompanied by their mothers, joined their fathers on the institution’s field. The fact that it coincided with … Lire plus

On Saturday 21 September, another ‘Game with Mum & Dad’ event was organised in the gymnasium of Jiřice Prison, Czech Republic, thanks to Prison Fellowship Czech Republic. Sixteen children participated in the event, joining 10 imprisoned fathers on the playing field. These fathers, all serving long-term sentences, had in some cases not seen their children for … Lire plus

The autumn phase of ‘Game with Mum & Dad’ kicked off on September 9 in Avellino (a town of 50,000 inhabitants, founded by the ancient Romans as “Abellinum”), half an hour from Naples, Italy. After nearly a year of preparation, the game finally began at 10am at the high-security ‘Antimo Graziano’ Correctional Facility, where 15 … Lire plus

In September, ‘Game with Mum & Dad’ resumed in Italy, allowing children and parents in prison to compete for the ball. The first 60 games organised by COPE member Bambinisenzasbarre, were played between June and July in Italian prisons in various regions, including Tuscany, Lombardy, Apulia and Sicily. These games are part of the European … Lire plus