The Princess of Wales paid a visit to a women’s prison located in Cheshire, where she talked with the inmates residing in a mother and baby unit. During her visit, Catherine was introduced to a project that aimed to foster healthy relationships between newborns and their mothers, particularly in environments that are challenging. Unlike more extravagant royal commitments, the princess arrived at the prison, which imprisoned roughly 400 inmates – some of which were serving life sentences – in the pouring rain.
The princess had the chance to meet with specialist staff who were responsible for supporting new mothers and visited a baby nursery where babies, who would be spending their first formative months in jail, stayed. On her fourth official visit to a prison, the princess met women who were backed by the Action for Children charity, which operated mother and baby units in three of England’s prisons in the north. One former inmate revealed to Catherine how difficult it was being a mother in jail, though the support given provided a “safe environment” and presented her with the chance to obtain training and help to learn about being a parent.
The ex-inmate admitted to making poor decisions, ultimately landing her in prison. At the same time, she wants to make the best of the situation, saying she got as much out of the experience as she possibly could. Another concern raised was the stigma attached to having a baby in jail, which the inmates talked about during Princess Catherine’s visit. She also talked with staff about the significance of “attachment and bonding,” mainly for mothers who may have faced trauma in their own lives.
The purpose of the event was to help incarcerated new mothers establish a strong connection with their babies, with the hope that it would reduce the likelihood of re-offending when released. Her visit at HMP Styal is in line with her Shaping Us initiative on early year’s education, underlining the importance of the first five years of a child’s life. The visit was the first of its kind for Princess Catherine after concluding her cancer treatment and setting foot on other similar engagements this year
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