Case study focusing on how fathers in custody are building their relationships with their young children, their understanding of child development and their future employability, through Peep Learning Together sessions leading to Peep Progression Pathway qualification units.
The project involves the families, Highland Peep, Highland Council, CALA (Care & Learning Alliance) and HM Prison Inverness. Two Peep-trained practitioners, Gillian Forbes from Highland Council and Mairianne Nairn from CALA, lead the sessions and shared this case study. The project builds on CALA’s existing Prison Service work with remand prisoners and their families, and on Highland Council’s Peep delivery in local communities over the past decade.
Strengthening family relationships when a parent is in prison
Each Peep Progression Pathway course has been run with two or three dads who are in custody, their baby or young child and their partner. The course consists of 13 weekly hour-long Peep sessions with the families. This is followed by an additional 30 minutes for the fathers to work on their portfolios, on which their Pathway qualification unit is based. The first course went really well, and the families were really appreciative. We’ve run it a few times, at the request of the Prison Governor.
We’ve seen all the dads grow in confidence and get really involved within the sessions. There were obviously challenges: the prison serves the Highlands and Islands, and is fairly small but over-crowded. For some mums it was too far or difficult to bring their baby or child each week. Many prisoners are either short-stay or moving to another prison. However, through the Scottish government’s Families Learning Together project, four prison staff will be attending Peep Learning Together Programme Training in August 2024. This will enable them to deliver the Peep programme to families themselves, which is exciting.
Further learning through the Peep Progression Pathway
From the start, we were keen that the fathers would have the opportunity to gain an SCQF-credit-rated unit (level 3, 4 or 5), from the Peep Progression Pathway. This is based on the parents’ own learning and reflections on an aspect of child development, linked to play and learning activities that they do with their child during the session, then record in a portfolio. The children can be any age from 0-5 years, so the courses have used the mixed-age ‘Early Child Development’ unit. This includes Learning Together Programme topics such as ‘Helping children feel good about themselves’, ‘Play and language’, ‘Sharing books with babies/ young children’, ‘Maths in everyday routines’ and ‘Food for life’.
Completing the qualification unit also guarantees the fathers an interview at the local college when they leave, if they wish to do further training. The dads have all worked really hard on their credit-rated portfolios. For one dad it was his first recognised qualification, and recently one of the completed a portfolio too. The dads have told us that it’s the highlight of their week – and we’ve found that it is for us too.
I gained useful skills through the Peep programme that will help me day-to-day when I’ve been released from prison. It gave me a better understanding of parenting and what can help my child.”
Dad attending Peep course
Practitioners at a Peep Learning Together session in Inverness Prison (photo thanks to CALA)
It has given the fathers in our care the skills and confidence to shape play in a way which is fun yet maximises the benefits to their children, whilst strengthening the bonds in the wider family group. We are delighted this work will be ongoing.”
Inverness Prison Governor, Stephen Coyle
Feedback on the Peep sessions in Inverness Prison from families and staff
Dads in prison:
Peep’s had a massive impact on me and my family – without it I wouldn’t have had that opportunity to bond with my baby.”
I’ve really enjoyed the course, it’s made me feel more confident in being a first time dad and I have discovered lots of activities me and my son can do together.”
The Peep course has emphasised things, why we do activities and how it helps my child’s development. I didn’t realise the impact reading a story had on my child. It’s helped me exist, I feel more like a father. I like every single aspect of the Peep group. t’s such a relaxed environment, it’s not forced, and we’re learning.”
Government Minister:
When Maree Todd, former Scottish Minister for Children and Young People, visited one of the sessions she commented on the encouragement, praise, nurture and strong relationships that she saw. She was also very positive about the emotional literacy displayed in the fathers’ written portfolios, and the likely lasting benefit for the families.
Mum visiting prison:
I feel that – although the circumstances in which we attend Peep aren’t the best – it has had such a great impact on us. Initially I felt it was going to be condescending, but after attending the first session I soon realised the benefit of it. I’ve seen how much it helps my partner interact with our son. The activities and tasks that fathers often don’t take part in, like crafts and messy play, he has been able to experience.
I’ve also learnt from it, the in‑depth details of children’s learning is really interesting. Most of all it has helped keep a bond between father and son, giving them both time to play, learn and interact, and I feel this will be very beneficial for when he comes home.”
Prison Officer:
This Peep project is also about preventing future victims.”
Family Contact Officer:
During our Peep group sessions Mairianne and Gillian deliver interesting and fun topics every week. Myself and the guys have learned so much about child development. I particularly enjoyed the activity using the ball of wool to demonstrate how everything a baby does forms a network in the brain and we ended up with a giant spiders web.”