Through the Sentence is a registered charity formed because children are so often the forgotten part of a prison sentence. When a parent goes to prison, the attention goes to the court case, the person inside and the practicalities at home, while the child is left to cope with the loss, the secrecy and the shame largely on their own. Many of them never tell their teachers or friends, and too few have a space where they can just be a child among others who understand. Through the Sentence offers this space.
As our name suggests, we support children through the whole journey, not just one part of it. A child can come to us from the moment a court date is set, while their family member is in prison, and after they've been released, which is often when the hardest adjustments happen. We stay with them for as long as they need us.
We're based in Cheshire, but because our sessions run online, we can support children anywhere in England and Wales.
Our support includes:
- One to one mentoring
- Treehouse Club (ages 5–12) – Creative Corner and Mini Scientist Club, giving younger children a safe, playful space to connect and be themselves
- Treehouse Connect (ages 13–17) – including a Careers Club, helping teenagers think about their future and feel that their circumstances don't define it
