Exploring the impact of imprisonment on families

Experts from the Fathers Together study, a jointly led City, University of London and UCL initiative that is supporting young fathers in prison and their families in partnership with the Race Equality Foundation, were invited to a private screening of the forthcoming Netflix documentary Daughters in June.

The film provides an honest insight into the devastating effects of incarceration on parent-child relationships, and how vital familial bonds are to successful community reintegration and desistance from crime. It follows four young girls and their imprisoned fathers preparing for a daddy-daughter dance, which marked the conclusion of their 12-week Date with Dad fatherhood programme in a Washington D.C. jail.

Netflix approached Dr Anita Mehay, Senior Research Fellow in the School of Health & Psychological Sciences at City and a co-lead of the Fathers Together project, to arrange a private screening for the research team, which included the project’s lived experience group of mainly Black men who are all aged between 40-60 years old with lived experience of imprisonment as a father.

Impact of imprisonment

There are around 87,000 prisoners in England and Wales: most are men, and many are fathers. There are also an estimated 300,000 children and young people who have been affected by imprisonment. Previous work has also revealed that having a parent in prison is traumatic for children and linked to poorer health, increased antisocial behaviours and the likelihood of being involved in the criminal justice system.

Researchers from the project have partnered with the Race Equality Foundation, and they are seeking to build on their work on the ‘Strengthening Families, Strengthening Communities’ parenting programme. The programme is designed to promote protective factors that are associated with good parenting and better outcomes for children.

Daughters discussion

Daughters depicts the girls' efforts to navigate their strained relationships with their incarcerated fathers. While the film also explores the complex dynamics with their mothers, the primary focus remains on the father-daughter bond. The girls exhibit a mix of excitement and uncertainty about the dance, with some hesitating to connect with fathers they barely remember. For many, this dance is a rare opportunity for physical contact due to policy changes that have reduced in-person visits.

During the pre-screening discussion – which included the directors of the film, Angela Patton and Natalie Rae – Dr Mehay highlighted the similarities between the experiences of imprisoned fathers and their families in UK and US prisons. These shared challenges include punitive measures, limited visitation rights, inconsistent family support, and racial disparities.

Importance of consistency

In the film, the directors underscore the importance of consistency despite the obstacles posed by imprisonment. The fathers' dedication to the programme offers hope that their love for their daughters can drive meaningful change. Remarkably, 95% of fathers who complete the programme do not reoffend. The emotional reunions and joy at the dance highlight the essential need for human connection, often denied in prison settings.

Following the film, members of the Fathers Together lived experience group shared their experiences as young fathers in prison. One father expressed a longing to teleport home and hug his children, realising the pain he had caused. Another recounted never hugging anyone during his 10-year sentence and using a smuggled phone to read bedtime stories to his children. They collectively described the film as "really powerful", "overwhelming", and an "emotional rollercoaster". The group noted that participating in the study with other men with shared experiences gave them "permission to be vulnerable". They reflected that in their backgrounds, vulnerability was seen as a weakness, but now they view it as a strength.

“Daughters emphasises the power of family relationships for effective rehabilitation. We must shift the narrative that ‘prisoner’ and ‘good father’ are mutually exclusive labels, and instead provide support for both to be possible,” added Dr Mehay.

Daughters is due to air on Netflix on August 14.