Making it Up

A family reading initiative in prisons to help parents create story books for their children.

Family contact for prisoners is key in aiding rehabilitation. We wanted to help increase parents’ confidence in reading with their children so that they could engage and bond over reading during a family visit.

Parents taking part in MIU have attended workshops leading up to the visit day, featuring authors and illustrators such as Chris Riddell, ILYA and David Kendall, whose talks inspired parents to put together their own story books for their children.

MIU has seen stories of pirate adventures, aliens, lost dogs, trips to the zoo, reflections on imprisonment, and lessons for life.

“One day you’ve taken prison away from my family.”

“Absolutely brilliant. Gets kids involved, gives them ideas. Using imagination, ours and theirs.”

Read our blog about our first Making it Up session here.