The UpFamilies Network, a group of organisations and professionals committed to supporting families affected by imprisonment, organised an online event at the end of April (now available on Youtube), in which three professionals from Spain, Portugal and Romania shared their best practices in supporting these families.
This event was organised by Interchange, an UpFamilies partner from Germany, and presented by Rhianon Williams, its director. After a brief introduction to the UpFamilies project by Alfonso Andreo, the project’s coordinator at Fundación Diagrama (Spain), three panelists shared their best practices: Luís Fernandes (psychologist, independent professional, Portugal), Mircea Cristian (director of the Stânca Veacurilor association, Romania), and María José Bodego (prison volunteer and member of the management board of Solidarios para el Desarrollo, Spain). Fifty people attended the event, many of whom are members of the UpFamilies Network from Spain, Portugal, Greece, Romania and Germany.
Luís Fernandes presented the model that he applies in his work as a therapist for children at risk of social exclusion, who sometimes have family members in prison (principally mothers). This ICA model (Intention, Coherence, and Agency) places the main focus on the children. He stressed the importance of conducting evaluations that take into account relationships, trauma history, and a knowledge of the family. He also emphasised the need for systemic assessments that integrate psychological, sociological and community dimensions, and for interventions that are consistent with these assessments.
Mircea Cristian addressed the influence of the incarcerated person’s own personal journey of acknowledging mistakes, taking responsibility, and asking for forgiveness as the basis for personal change. He emphasised the important role played by families in helping the incarcerated person to take responsibility and acquire new values. He also pointed to the role played by the network of volunteers who collaborate with his association and support the families.
Finally, María José Bodego highlighted, among the activities carried out by the organisation Solidarios para el Desarrollo, the need to respond to families’ demands for information regarding the regulations and processes of the prison system, and particularly at times of transition, such as when entering prison or when granted leave from prison. She presented two major advances which have been achieved in cooperation with the public authorities and the families: first, the development of an informative leaflet to explain the process of entering a prison, and second, the creation of more child-friendly environments in visitation and waiting areas in prisons.