Children's Days VOLONTÉ 2025: Model of support for family ties in prison

Prague, 16 July 2025 - In the first half of the year, the VOLONTÉ CZECH organization in cooperation with the Prison Service of the Czech Republic carried out a series of thematic meetings for parents of convicts and their children. The events aim to mitigate the negative effects of the separation of children from their parents in prison and to strengthen family ties.

VOLONTÉ Children's Days took place on the following dates:

• April 12 in Rýnovice Prison (Easter),

• 21 May at Jiřice Prison (Yellow Ribbon Run),

• 31 May at Světlá nad Sázavou Prison (Zoo),

• 15 June at Kynšperk nad Ohří Prison (sports day)

• and again on 21 June at Rýnovice Prison (sports day).

Jiřice: connection with Yellow Ribbon Run

The Children's Day at Jiřice Prison was held in conjunction with the 10th anniversary of the Yellow Ribbon Run. For the first time in history, convicted parents were able to run together with their children right outside the prison walls.

The event took place with the participation of representatives of the Ministry of Justice, the Prison Service of the Czech Republic and the public and continued VOLONTÉ CZECH's long-standing cooperation with the Yellow Ribbon Initiative, aimed at destigmatizing people with criminal histories and strengthening the principles of restorative justice.

Aim and focus

The primary goal of VOLONTÉ Children's Days is to provide a safe and structured space for parent-to-child contact in VTOS outside of standard visits. The emphasis is on active, peer interaction and building trust through shared experience. It is also a model that allows for the involvement of other family members.

Cooperation with institutions

Each Children's Day was implemented in cooperation with the management of a particular prison and its professional staff. The events were further supported by the participation of representatives of the public administration - e.g. Deputy Minister of Justice Karel Dvořák, who personally participated in two meetings as a volunteer. In Jiřice Prison, the event was personally supported by the Director Zdeněk Herman, in Světlá nad Sázavou Prison the Director Monika Myšičková was involved in the implementation and in Rýnovice Prison the Children's Day was supported by the participation of the Prison Director Petr Veselý.

Reflection of participants

"We never sang together. And now we've all sung. Me, my little one, and her laughter." - Convict, Rýnovice

"For the first time in three years I was out with my partner and children. I was nervous, but happy in the end." - family member, Jiřice

"It was a space where the child didn't have to explain why dad was locked up. She just played with him." - VOLONTÉ CZECH worker

Benefits from a professional point of view

Identified benefits include stabilization of parental identity in VTOS, increased motivation for resocialization, reduction of the negative impact of separation on children, and early capture of families' needs for further social work.

Funding

VOLONTÉ Children's Days are implemented within the VOL Family project (reg. no. CZ.03.02.02/00/22_017/0000254), funded by the Operational Programme Employment Plus.

Acknowledgements

We thank all the prisons for their openness, the families for their trust and our teams for their expertise and sensitivity. VOLONTÉ CZECH has been working for a long time on a systemic approach to parenting support in prison. Children's days are not an exception, but part of our professional practice.