For the second year running, “The Game with Mum & Dad” took place at the Civitavecchia Correctional Facility (on the coast north of Rome) on 22 October. The event involved five imprisoned fathers and seven children aged between 7 and 13, who formed a mixed-gender team. Supporting this special event on the sidelines were mothers, grandparents, younger siblings and other imprisoned people.
The ‘Game with Mum & Dad’ event marks the culmination of a year-long psycho-educational programme, involving workshops and meetings with children, family members, imprisoned parents, judicial-pedagogical staff and prison guards.
Since its inception in 2015, when the first ‘Game with Mum & Dad’ was held, this event has proven to be a powerful tool for strengthening, consolidating, and maintaining the bond between children and their imprisoned parents, which is one of the primary goals of this initiative.
GWMD has been emotionally impactful not only for the participants but also for the prison staff, featuring moments of pure play and enjoyment, alongside more intense experiences that fostered a meaningful reconnection between fathers and their children, transcending prison bars.
The game ended with a victory for the children, who were spirited competitors despite adverse weather conditions (and actually, to the delight of their defeated fathers).
The eagerly awaited GWMD encounter between imprisoned parents and their children was conceived by Children of Prisoners Europe (COPE) member Bambinisenzasbarre, operating nationwide across Italy in partnership with the Ministry of Justice – Department of Penitentiary Administration. This year, Bambinisenzasbarre also oversees the campaign’s European edition on behalf of COPE and its 40 member organisations. Participating countries include Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, the Czech Republic, Romania, and the UK (Scotland).
