The Family Programs team at GEO Australia’s Ravenhall Correctional Centre runs innovative programs dedicated to reducing recidivism that work to strengthen family connections and improve life skills.
The programs recognize that social and family support is an important area of an individual’s life and can strongly influence the success of their transition back into the community.
Team members have been able to achieve excellent outcomes for participants like reconnecting them with their children for the first time during incarceration; supporting them through difficult children’s court hearings and case plan meetings; providing strategies for parenting from a distance; creating alternative and more effective communication strategies; and ensuring participants remain mentally active.
As the only dedicated Family Programs team within a Victorian Correctional Centre, Ravenhall’s team of practitioners provide Family and Child Protection support to participants. They liaise with Child Protection departments on court and child contact matters and advocate for fathers to have safe and meaningful contact with their children.
Practitioners also provide support around connecting and re-connecting inmates with their family members through the Family Connect program.
Fathers are also eligible to complete an accredited Triple P parenting program. The program encourages participants to actively engage in a range of exercises to learn about the causes of child behavioral problems, goal setting, use of strategies to promote child development, manage misbehavior, and plan for high-risk situations.
There is also a Read Along with Dad program that aims to strengthen the relationship between fathers and their children through a pre-recorded audio book. It gives children the opportunity to hear their dad’s voice and offers a significant opportunity for bonding.
