Family Meetings in the Rýnovice and Pardubice Prisons

At the end of the year, family meetings were held in the Rýnovice and Pardubice prisons, aimed at supporting contact between incarcerated parents and their children. The meetings were organized by the Prison Service of the Czech Republic in cooperation with VOLONTÉ.

Rýnovice Prison

In Rýnovice Prison, the traditional “We Are Family” meeting took place in the pre-Christmas period, attended by 11 fathers and 14 children. The programme included the fairy-tale performance Snow White and the Nine Dwarfs, prepared for the children of incarcerated parents. This was followed by a joint programme and creative activities with a Christmas theme.

The event was carried out within the project VOL Rodinu (Reg. No. CZ.03.02.02/00/22_017/0000254), implemented with support from the Employment Plus Operational Programme and co-financed by the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+).

Pardubice Prison

The meeting in Pardubice Prison was attended by four fathers and six children. The programme focused on shared games and leisure-time activities. It also included a joint festive lunch, which allowed parents and children to spend time together in a structured and calm environment.

The event was carried out within the project VOL Bez neviditelných obětí (Reg. No. CZ.03.02.02/00/24_066/0004673), supported under the Employment Plus Operational Programme and co-financed by the European Social Fund Plus.

The Importance of These Meetings

Family meetings of this kind are an important part of working with incarcerated people in the areas of parenting and maintaining contact with children. Our thanks go to all staff members of the participating prisons who contributed to the preparation and delivery of the programmes and who approach this topic with long-term commitment, professionalism, and sensitivity.