The "Once Upon a Time" project enables
male prisoners to record a children's story onto tape. The
tape and book, together with letters and greetings cards
made by the men, are then posted to their families. Yvonne
Smith, Librarian, describes the effects of the project.
When someone is in prison, the whole family suffers. This
project helps keeps men in touch with their children, and
enables the children to have a bedtime story read by Dad
even when he is locked up, hopefully helping them to feel
that their father cares even when he is not at home. It
also helps keep children in touch with their natural father
in the case of family break-ups.
We show the men how to select a suitable story and how
to read with confidence to children. Prisoners generally
have much lower reading and writing abilities than the general
population: making greetings cards and writing letters is
an enjoyable way of practising their literacy skills.
The children then have something very special to keep and,
from the feedback we receive, the children play the tapes
over and over again. They also have the book to read along
with or look at the pictures.
"A brilliant idea that fathers
keep in touch with their children and people like yourself
are there to help them." (Prisoner)
"My whole family was over the
moon with the whole thing." (Prisoner)
"John's been really upset since
his dad went to prison and doesn't understand why his dad
can't be with him anymore. Little things like this book
really mean a lot." (Mother)
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