Dundee Rep

“Beside Me” at HMP Perth

In 2022 the Trust awarded £57,000 to Dundee Rep and Scottish Dance Theatre for the “Beside Me” project at HMP Perth. This aligned closely with the Trust’s Social priorities of resolving and preventing familial conflict, encouraging family re-connection, and helping people move beyond disadvantage, within the context of the criminal justice system.

Scotland’s incarceration rate is one of Europe’s highest. It averages over 8,000 prisoners, of whom 63% are parents. An estimated 25,000 Scottish children experience parental imprisonment annually, and nearly twice as many children experience parental imprisonment than divorce.

Research shows prisoners’ children, many already significantly disadvantaged, are at risk of developing emotional difficulties impacting on their development and lifelong future. They can experience trauma, stigma, anxiety, psychological strain, bullying, suspension or school expulsion, and are three times more likely to engage in anti-social or offending behaviour – perpetuating the cycle of criminal behaviour.

By providing a sustained programme of creative engagement, activities and interactions for Scottish male prisoners and their children, the project aimed to prevent some of the negative impacts of parental incarceration on children and reduce inmate recidivism. It encouraged more intimate and meaningful familial contact, together with the development of positive parenting skills and strengthening family bonds. The project also reduced isolation by providing children and young people with an outlet to express their feelings and gain vital peer support from those with shared experiences.