Charitable Foundation for Persons in Difficult Life Situations «Lend a Hand»
Mom Behind Bars: Psychological and Consultative Support for Pregnant Women and Women with Children under Three Years of Age Serving Prison Sentences
CSS contribution, rubles
Total budget, rubles
Implementation period, months
Project idea
The "Mom Behind Bars" project is tailored for incarcerated pregnant women and mothers with children under the age of three. It aims to prevent children born in women's prisons from becoming orphans by providing counseling and psychological support to incarcerated young mothers.
The project aims to offer training sessions led by highly qualified professionals, including a perinatal psychologist and a neonatologist.
The program for the project offers classes for pregnant women, mothers with children under the age of three, and employees of the Federal Penitentiary Service.
Expectant mothers learn proper conduct for labor and delivery. Participants will learn about correct breathing techniques during labor and the importance of muscle relaxation to avoid causing harm to their baby. There will be lectures on the value of breastfeeding and on the proper care of newborns.
Young mothers will be trained in first aid for emergency situations, informed about what occurs in an infant's body from ages 0 to 3 years, and how it develops. All sessions will be collaboratively taught to foster mother-child bonding and to monitor the evolving relationships between the infants and their mothers.
Within the scope of the project, the staff of Children's Homes at women's colonies will be included. A series of individual and group counseling sessions have been planned to prevent and mitigate the incidence of emotional burnout. Refresher courses in resuscitation for children under three years of age will be offered.
Plans are also underway to create a brochure written in clear, accessible language that will provide information on pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, developmental milestones, and infant care.
The project will be conducted in:
Correctional Colony No. 5 of the Penitentiary Department of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia for the Moscow Region, Correctional Colony No. 18 of the Department of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia for the Rostov Region, Correctional Colony No. 15 of the Department of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia for the Samara Region.
Relevance
In Russia, there are 34 women's colonies, 12 of which have Children's Homes. According to the Federal Penitentiary Service, approximately 500 children, ranging from newborns to three years old, spend their early years alongside their mothers in detention facilities.
Incarceration is a challenging ordeal for anyone, and it proves particularly arduous for pregnant women and new mothers. Such women are the most vulnerable group. They enter a system that offers no support.
The primary issue and risk associated with incarceration in a women's colony for young and expectant mothers is the disruption of child-parent bonds, as not all detention facilities permit mothers and children to cohabit. This separation impairs the development of maternal attachment and undermines the mothers' confidence and knowledge about child-rearing.
This often leads to women abandoning their own children.
Based on a survey conducted among beneficiaries of the "Lend a Hand" Foundation, three primary reasons for the potential rejection of their infants were identified.
Women incarcerated primarily for non-violent offenses often suffer from a significant lack of support from family members on the outside. Not everyone has parents or other relatives, and frankly, husbands seldom wait for their wives to return from detention.
The indifferent attitude of Federal Penitentiary Service employees toward young mothers, coupled with the absence of specialists equipped to offer support in matters of motherhood and childhood, leaves a profoundly negative impression.
Additionally, women are often compelled to make such decisions due to their own uncertainty about their capabilities, as well as a lack of fundamental knowledge regarding child-rearing, communication, and infant care.
Therefore, the Foundation deems enhancing the quality of conditions for incarcerated mothers with children in penal colonies to be of utmost importance in its endeavors.
Social effect
Preventing social orphanhood among children born in detention
KPI
KPI
Project Results
Throughout the project, young incarcerated mothers were provided with guidance and advice on matters related to motherhood and child-rearing. Became more aware of their children and were able to connect with them.
Thanks to the activities, meetings and counseling, women gained knowledge about child health, breastfeeding, pregnancy and childbirth. Also, each mother was able to get answers to questions regarding her own child.
During individual sessions, women were able to reduce their anxiety and fears and received psychological support.
All participants received a published "Booklet Diary on Motherhood and Preparation for It," which includes contact information for specialists to whom they can reach out for assistance if needed. This booklet provides clear and comprehensive information on pregnancy, childbirth, and the care and nurturing of your baby during the early years.
The orphanage staff also acquired new insights into childcare and fostering positive relationships with their charges. Moreover, the Foundation's specialists offered them extensive counseling and psychological support.
Project progress after CSS funding
Experience has shown that this format of assistance is very much in demand among young and expectant mothers in prison. The decision to expand the project's geographic scope was made following the conclusion of the initial financing period, with the aim of attracting new investors interested in funding through grants.
The project has already received approval for implementation in the colonies of Krasnodar, Krasnoyarsk Territory, and Samara Region.
The organization also intends to begin offering supportive counseling services in the communities where the project has concluded.
