Businesswoman and author Alison Delaney has launched a new programme aimed at supporting mothers and babies in prison, with funding from The John Lewis Partnership Foundation.
The ‘Take Flight and Fly High’ initiative, a not-for-profit project from Little Bird People Development, is designed to empower mothers within the prison system and help them create a positive future for themselves and their children. The programme is currently running at HMP New Hall in West Yorkshire, with space for up to 10 mothers and babies.
Alison, founder of Little Bird People Development, commented:
“I’m so proud that our new ‘Take Flight and Fly High’ programme is supporting mothers and babies in prison, so that they can build a brighter and more positive future. At Little Bird, we believe that everyone has the right to follow their dreams and achieve their full potential, and our objective is to build value through community engagement.”
Supported by the charity Action for Children, which runs the nursery and family support services at the prison, the programme focuses on helping mothers bond with their babies through storytelling while also developing life skills to build confidence and resilience.
In England and Wales, women who give birth during their prison sentence may be eligible for placement in one of six mother and baby units. After 18 months, if the mother is still serving her sentence, the child may need to be placed in care, either in kinship care or foster care.
Alison added:
“Research shows that if mothers within the prison system are supported through self-development programmes, they are less likely to reoffend, better equipped to build a stable home for their family and, most importantly, children are less likely to spend time within the care system. Thanks to the support of The John Lewis Partnership Foundation, HMP New Hall, and Action for Children, we are helping to build better futures for women and children.”
The programme provides each mother with a children’s book to read with their baby each day, as well as additional books for family visits. Alison’s award-winning education programme, ‘Little Chicks Life Lessons’, supplies these resources. Alongside the reading materials, mothers participate in a 14-step personal development workshop designed to improve life skills, self-esteem, and confidence.
Having experienced the challenges of the care system herself, Alison is dedicated to helping those with similar backgrounds. She hopes to extend the programme to other prisons across the UK, though additional funding will be necessary to support further rollouts.
Alison said:
“Mothers in prison often feel a loss of autonomy and agency to become the parent they aspire to be. From my experience at HMP New Hall, I’m determined to help even more women build their self-belief through our programme, so that they, and their child, have the best chances of a successful future.”
HMP New Hall, located in Flockton, West Yorkshire, is a prison and young offender institution for women aged 18 and over.
To learn more about the ‘Take Flight and Fly High’ programme, visit: www.littlebirdpeopledevelopment.org.uk/takeflightflyhigh
