Sarah before giving a speech at an event at Westminster, encouraging others to start talking about what happens to children when a parent goes to prison, 2022. Taken by James Ottley (colleague).
“I can think of few people I’ve encountered in my 18 years as an MP who deserve recognition as much as Sarah… She founded Children Heard and Seen after encountering children affected by parental imprisonment in her job as a social worker and, realising that there was little to no support for them, decided to do something about it…The impact CH&S has had is down to Sarah’s vision and commitment, and it needs to be replicated across the country.” – Kerry McCarthy MP
Campaigning background
Sarah Burrows is a registered social worker who has worked with children and families for over thirty years. Through this work, she recognised an overwhelming majority of young people entering the criminal justice system had a parent in prison already, and that that no services were in place to offer dedicated support these vulnerable young people.
Sarah founded and built Children Heard and Seen (CHAS) from the ground up. The charity supports children and families impacted by parental imprisonment. During its early years, Sarah’s hard work was unpaid and driven solely by dedication. Nine years later, Sarah has transformed CHAS from a kitchen-table project to a charity with an excellent reputation for delivering effective support to over 860 children.
Children are often bullied for having a parent in prison, or their plight is simply ignored by the adults around them. They’re dealing with separation and grief, often without sympathy or support from their communities. Trauma that they need to talk about is being buried. CHAS has given hundreds of children a community and a champion – people who are dedicated to cheering them on instead of looking away.
This award particularly celebrates Sarah’s commitment to both supporting children today and changing the system so that they aren’t ignored in future. She has always amplified the voices of children with a parent in prison. This has included facilitating children’s conferences, attending Select Committees, and helping children and family members with personal experience of parental imprisonment to give evidence to policymakers.
In 2021, Sarah gave evidence to the Select Committee on Human Rights on the Government’s response to Covid-19 and the human rights implications of long lockdown. She was asked to attend in her capacity as founder of the only organisation with practical experience of how family contact with prisoners had been impacted by the pandemic.
In 2021 CHAS launched a ground-breaking project in partnership the Thames Valley Violence Reduction Unit – Operation Paramount. For the first time, data from the Prisons Service database is being used to identify those left behind at the point of imprisonment. Thames Valley Police now pass crucial information about available support on to families of those imprisoned, allowing them to decide for themselves at an early stage whether and how to use it.
This model has been replicated by other Violence Reduction Units across the country, representing an early framework for a national model of identification and support for children.
In 2022, Sarah appeared on BBC Radio 4’s All in the Mind to discuss support for children who have a parent jailed for sexual offences, and the lack of government money for these families in need. Sarah talked about the impact when a father is convicted of a sexual offence, an area with huge levels of stigma attached, leading many families to approach CHAS.
Late last year, the Government at last committed to finding out, during the custody process, whether prisoners have children at home.
The impact of Sarah’s campaigning and support has been dramatic. Children can’t get help if no one is bothering to find out who they are. Finally, that is starting to happen.
Sarah with George Busuttil raising awareness of parental imprisonment in Malta, 2017. Taken on Sarah’s own phone.
I’m delighted to win this award and hope it further shines a light on the issue of parental imprisonment and the invisibility that comes with it. I’d like to acknowledge the support and help from everyone involved with Children Heard and Seen and Thames Valley Violence Reduction Unit. Most of all, I would like to dedicate this award to children and families impacted by parental imprisonment, for trusting and believing that change can happen.”
Sarah with George Busuttil raising awareness of parental imprisonment in Malta, 2017. Taken on Sarah’s own phone.
I’m delighted to win this award and hope it further shines a light on the issue of parental imprisonment and the invisibility that comes with it. I’d like to acknowledge the support and help from everyone involved with Children Heard and Seen and Thames Valley Violence Reduction Unit. Most of all, I would like to dedicate this award to children and families impacted by parental imprisonment, for trusting and believing that change can happen.”