About Us

Through the Sentence was set up because children affected by a family member’s imprisonment are so often overlooked.

Almost 193,000 children in England and Wales have a parent in prison, and no system identifies them or checks that they are coping. There is no letter to the school, no call from social services. Most receive no support at all.

These children face real difficulties: their wellbeing, their schooling and their confidence can all suffer, and the stigma often means they carry it in silence. That is what we exist to change.

Vision

A future where no child is left alone, stigmatised or held back because a family member is in prison.

Mission

We support children and families affected by the imprisonment of a parent, sibling or close family member, through mentoring, group and online support before, during and after a sentence, so that children stay connected, supported and able to thrive.

What we believe

  • We meet every child and family with warmth and without judgement.
  • We help children feel less alone, alongside others who understand.
  • We help children build the resilience to cope and to look ahead.
  • We are here for every family affected, whatever the circumstances.
  • Child-centred. We put each child’s needs, voice and safety first.

How we work

We are led by a board of trustees, who are responsible for how the organisation is run, its finances and the safety of the children we support.

We work alongside schools, charities and other services rather than duplicating what they do, so that families get joined-up support.

Keeping children safe

Safeguarding is at the heart of how we work. We have a designated safeguarding lead with recognised training, everyone working with children holds an enhanced DBS check, and we follow safeguarding, online safety and data protection policies approved by our trustees. Before any support starts, we talk with the parent or carer and agree how sessions will run.

If you would like to know more about how we keep children safe, please ask. We are happy to share our policies.