Regional Family Support Coordinator at Families Outside
In November 2023, with generous funding support from Good Life, Good Death, Good Grief and support from other key partners, Families Outside hosted an event for bereaved families who have lost a loved one in prison custody. The event was called “A Day To Remember” and was part of the To Absent Friends festival, which gives people around Scotland the opportunity to remember, tell stories, and reminisce about people we love who have died.
Families Outside is Scotland’s only national charity that works solely on behalf of families in Scotland affected by imprisonment. We provide support to families and children facing increased uncertainty while also trying to navigate the complexities of the justice system, working with them one-to-one or through peer support groups in Glasgow and North Ayrshire. This includes support for those whose relative or loved one has died in prison. We help people through the processes and procedures that follow such a loss. Families Outside also provides training to people who work with families and aims to influence policy and practice on a local and national scale. Our organisation has been active in trying to change processes and procedures that affect families when someone has died in custody. In 2021 our CEO co-chaired the independent review of the response to deaths in prison custody, which made several recommendations about how families could be supported at this very difficult time.
As an organisation we understand the importance of peer support for families affected by imprisonment, which is crucial particularly when dealing with bereavement. For the event, we wanted to create a safe space for families to share their experiences without the fear of stigma and judgement that can often surround imprisonment. The stigma faced by families supporting someone in prison can affect many aspects of their lives and interactions with others, potentially becoming a barrier to accessing support. It is plausible that this fear of judgement could prevent them from accessing support with their grief too. Between 2012 and 2022, 350 people in Scotland died in prison custody, this is an average of 31.8 deaths per year and demonstrates the scale of people affected by this particular issue.
We reached out to families who we knew had experienced a death in custody; sixteen people from five new families attended. They were supported by two Families Outside staff members and a palliative care social worker, who worked with us on the review of deaths in prison custody. The event took place at Vox Liminis’ space in Glasgow’s Gallowgate. Families were invited to bring something that reminded them of their loved one. The group gathered informally over tea, and after lunch, they sat together and talked about the person they had lost and the items that connected them to those memories.
A photo of the items the families brought that reminded them of the loved ones they had lost.
One family member shared their thoughts following the event, saying:
“Reflecting on the memorial service and day of remembrance, there is a renewed sense of collective strength. It was not just about remembering the past; it was about coming together, supporting one another, and advocating for positive change. Through the unity and resilience of families facing similar challenges, there is hope for a future where the impact of custody is lessened, and the memory of loved ones becomes a catalyst for meaningful reform.”
This was our first event of this kind, but we hope it won’t be the last. This coming November will mark 3 years since the recommendations of the Independent Review of the Response to Deaths in prison custody, and still we are seeing a lack of progress. During our event, many attendees expressed their disappointment over the lack of implementation of key recommendations. Though coming together provided support, families continue to navigate their grief and loss whilst being reminded of the lack of substantial steps being taken to address the issues surrounding deaths in prison custody. At Families Outside we will continue to call for this change and continue to amplify the voices of the families who have lost loved ones too soon behind institution walls.