FATHERS behind bars helping children with their homework is one many initiatives that have inspired a Tasmanian pastor on a tour of the region’s jails.

The vital role of family support worker is being researched by Norm Reed with a view to developing similar posts in his native country.

His travels have also taken in Singapore, France, Belguim and Wales where he was impressed at HMP Parc, Bridgend, where some teacher-parent evenings are permitted to happen inside.

In the North-East, charity Nepacs - which aims to build bridges between prisoners, their families and the communities that they will return to - is supporting prisoners and their families at seven jails and young offender institutions.

A group made up of Pact (Prison Advice & Care Trust), Pops (Partners of Prisoners), Jigsaw (visitor centre based at HMP Leeds) as well as Nepacs is calling for more support inside prisons and more targeted help for their families as a strategy to tackle reoffending rates and an increase in prisoner suicides.

Speaking at Nepacs' visitor centres at Durham Prison, Mr Reed said: “Two-thirds of boys with a parent in prison are likely to offend, according to Ministry of Justice figures.

“So a family support worker is a door through the wall, they are able to talk to the family and then go speak to the inmate.

“So much of this is about the child, sometimes we cannot change what’s already happened as the guys are in prison and security is obviously very important but I really think we can make a difference for the children and they become casualties in this journey.”

At HMP Durham there are three evening visits each week as well as sessions where pre-school children can go into the prison to spend two hours with their fathers.

“How can we make a dad a responsible member of society when you take all responsibility away from him?”, asked Mr Reed who works in Risdon prison next door to his church, and is visiting the UK part of his Churchill Fellowship Study.

“Doing homework together gives the child and their dad a bond. It’s not about privileges for dads it’s about recognition for children. Prison has penalised children who are doing time with their dads.”

In Tasmania, Australia, Mr Reed has used Skype to let a prisoner see his dying grandfather and the webcam also enabled him to view the funeral from his cell.

He added: “We are into trafficking - but what we are trafficking is relationships and we will tunnel our way through to make that happen.”