Children with Parent in Prison-Game with Mum & Dad

Game with Mum & Dad campaign: launch of phase II

After the success of the first edition of Game with Mum & Dad, COPE and its network members are ready to launch Phase II. This presents an opportunity to further expand the campaign’s impact and drive meaningful change for children with a parent in prison across Europe. Through geographical expansion and the introduction of a cross-sectoral showcasing event, COPE aims to create lasting positive outcomes for children impacted by imprisonment.

Geographical Expansion

In Phase II, the initiative will expand its reach to to include a broader geographical area. So far, events have been successfully conducted in Italy, Poland, Spain (Catalonia), England, Scotland, and Switzerland. Notably, these events have been received with enthusiasm, fostering meaningful connections between incarcerated parents and their children. Additional events are expected to take place in the Netherlands, Belgium and other European countries in the coming months.

Introduction of 'One-Roof' Showcasing Event

A key highlight of Phase II will be the introduction of a 'one-roof' showcasing event aimed at encouraging systemic and lasting change for children with an imprisoned parent.  These small-scale but targeted events to be carried out across Europe will seek to showcase and communicate the outcomes of the football events to cross-sectoral stakeholders (e.g., child-support agencies, civil society organisations, government agencies such as justice ministries, police, judges, municipal authorities, general public, as well as outreach to local media — print, TV, radio and social media). COPE advocates for a 'one-roof approach', whereby all stakeholders involved in the picture of child support come together under a unified framework to learn from each other's perspectives, provide an integrated response for children with a parent in prison, share resources and identify and address deficiencies in existing systems. 'One-roof' follow-up events of Game with Mum & Dad will promote this long term goal of recognising, meeting and guaranteeing the rights of children with a parent in prison. 

Phase II Goals and Objectives

The primary objective of Phase II is to build upon the success of Phase I and further expand the reach and impact of the initiative. Key goals for Phase II include:

1  Geographical expansion: expand coverage to new countries within the EU.

2  Greater participation: aim to increase the number of children and imprisoned parents participating in the events, with continued emphasis on gender-equality and social inclusion (i.e., emphasis on families of marginalised groups such as Traveller and Roma populations).

3  Enhanced impact: evaluate the impact of the initiative on the increased well-being and strengthened bond between children and their parents.

With the introduction of the 'one-roof' showcasing event and the continued geographical expansion of the initiative, we anticipate the following outcomes:

1  Increased awareness: awareness raised about the importance of maintaining family bonds during incarceration and children’s rights to ongoing contact with a parent in prison.

2  Child participation:empowering children to actively engage in the events, co-designing activities and rules and providing valuable feedback, thereby promoting their sense of agency and ownership in the initiative.

3  Systemic change: lay the foundation for systemic change by promoting inclusivity, gender equality and child participation within the criminal justice system.

Links:

• https://www.gamewithmum-dad.eu/