Storybook Dads
Enabling imprisoned parents to maintain meaningful contact with their children
Storybook Dads helps parents in prison stay close to their children through the simple, powerful ritual of a bedtime story. Working in prisons across the UK, including women’s prisons, young offender institutions and secure hospitals, it makes sure children can hear a parent’s voice and know they are loved and missed.
Parents choose a book and record themselves reading it aloud, on audio or, in some prisons, on video. At the charity’s own editing suite, the team takes out any mistakes and adds music and sound effects, so even parents who find reading hard can take part. The finished story is then sent home.
For children, it’s a story they can play again and again, whenever they need it. For parents, it’s a chance to feel valued as a mum or dad and to make a positive difference from a distance. Together, these moments help heal rifts and keep family relationships strong through a time apart.
2015
Year they joined the Raise Your Hands platform
9,318
Children and Young People supported last year
Why they’re needed
When a parent goes to prison, their child has done nothing wrong, yet they often carry the weight of it. Separation can leave children feeling lonely, anxious and confused, and it’s not always something they feel able to talk about. Storybook Dads believes that imprisoning a parent should never mean punishing their child.
Staying close from a distance is hard, and a child isn’t always ready to talk on the phone. A recorded story gives them contact on their own terms. They can listen whenever they like, as often as they like, and hear a familiar voice at bedtime, which can build the confidence to talk and visit.
Strong family ties matter on both sides of the prison wall. A meaningful connection with their children helps parents see themselves as parents first, encourages them to spend time with their children, and gives the whole family something positive to hold on to.
How they do it
Parents in prison apply to take part and, once approved, choose a book and record a story and personal message for their child. Not every prison offers video. Where it does, pages from the book are scanned into the finished film, so children see their parent reading alongside the pictures, a bit like a CBeebies bedtime story.
Storybook Dads’ friendly team helps less confident readers, and careful editing means even non-readers can take part. Anyone in prison with approved contact with a child can apply. Although the scheme is mainly for parents, most prisons also welcome grandparents, siblings, aunts and uncles. In most prisons, taking part is free.
Alongside stories, Storybook Dads offers creative resources that help parents play a part in family life from a distance. These include personalised photo frames, height charts featuring a child’s favourite characters, challenge charts that celebrate a child’s achievements, and activity swaps where parent and child learn fun things about each other.
Find out more about Storybook Dads’ amazing work
Neil’s Story
When Neil went to prison, staying close to his two young sons was his biggest worry. Within weeks of arriving, he recorded his first video story with Storybook Dads. “It made such a difference,” he says, “and my boys loved the video stories I sent to them.”
Neil was then invited to train as an audio and video editor, helping other dads in prison make stories for their own children. “I knew I was making a difference to the lives of other prisoners and their children.”
After his release, Storybook Dads offered him a paid role at its community editing centre, where he now edits stories, supports the team and speaks up for the charity. He still reads to his boys regularly. “I hope that my experience can show people that there is light at the end of the tunnel.”
Support Storybook Dads along with 15 other children’s charities
Storybook Dads is one of a portfolio of small UK children’s charities championed by Raise Your Hands. When you donate to us, your gift is shared equally between every charity in the portfolio.
One donation. 16 small charities. 16 ways to change a young life.
