Children with Parent in Prison-Game with Mum & Dad

The Game with Mum & Dad (GWMD) project continues to grow in both reach and impact in 2025, expanding its presence to two EU countries —France and Portugal —while reinforcing its commitment to help maintain and strenghten the bond between children and imprisoned parents through sport and other play-based activities. Led by Children of Prisoners Europe (COPE), the project consists of organising sport games on prison groups, while guaranteeing a safe, child-focused environments, embedding child safeguarding every step of the way.

 Key highlights from 2025 so far

• Portugal (May 3, Coimbra Prison): The first GWMD event in Portugal, led by COPE member NGO CASPAE, brought together 25 children and 9 imprisoned parents to play korfball. Two key components underpinned the success of this event: 1) Talk circles, bringing together children, parents, family members and prison staff to reflect and connect before the event; 2) Preparatory training sessions with imprisoned parents, designed to engage them actively and consciously in the process.
• France (June 18 & 25, July 2 & 10): In its national debut, GWMD reached 92 children and 51 imprisoned parents across four events organised by COPE member Relais Enfants Parents.
• Italy: Long-time pioneer of GWMD, Bambinisenzasbarre hosted 68 games in early 2025 alone. Their work has strengthened institutional trust and drawn national attention to the rights of children with imprisoned parents.

Advocacy & institutional engagements

• Germany (March): GWMD was presented to the CHANCE Network* as a replicable model to strengthen family bonds and aid reintegration of imprisoned parents. CHANCE (Civil Hub Against organised Crime in Europe) is a Network that gathers associations, movements, informal groups and activists from all over Europe, with the aim to promote cooperation against organised crime, mafias and corruption.
• Malta (June 12): at COPE’s 17th International Conference, Czech NGO and COPE member Romodrom presented the project's success in engaging Roma families and reducing stigma.
• Greece (June 24): during a webinar for the prison service, GWMD was shared as a replicable, child-centred model to improve the Greek prison system’s support for children with imprisoned parents.
• Portugal (June 26): COPE high-level Judicial Roundtable in Lisbon gathered Portuguse judges, legal professionals, prosecutors and the prison serivce to explore child-rights based changes to justice systems. The Coimbra GWMD event was presented as a case study of effective institutional coordination and children’s rights promotion.

GWMD is emerging as a replicable model across Europe, and beyond, helping children see their imprisoned parents as caregivers, and supporting parents in reclaiming their roles. Though brief, these events have lasting impact, offering a more humane and restorative vision of prison—as a place for responsibility and reconnection.