Family Man and Fathers Inside (FMFI)

Safe Ground has a long, independently verified track record of delivering high-quality family interventions across the adult prison estate. Our flagship family relationships programmes, Family Man and Fathers Inside (FMFI), were the first in the UK.

Our arts-based methodology supports our participants to understand better the drivers of their criminal activity and its impact on family relationships. As well as positive, confident, and responsible parenting and partner behaviours, the men are supported to develop new, hopeful perspectives and coping mechanisms where reengagement with family members initially seems, or is, not possible.

A unique element of our FMFI programmes is the opportunity for participants to engage with support agencies and community organisations through the ‘What Next Day’ (WND). The WND represents participants’ and their family members’ first step towards shared goals and priorities during a sentence and post-release. 

Very often, FMFI represents the beginning of men’s sustained engagement in purposeful activity and meaningful reconnection. Both programmes culminate in a presentation and extended family visit.

Our data and evidence over the years demonstrate our impact, and our Justice Data Lab results for Fathers Inside (Dec 2016) are some of the best achieved (40% reduced reoffending rate).

Fathers Inside demonstrates a statistically significant reduction in parental stress and a significant increase in less-restrictive attitudes towards parenting among its participants. (Blagden 2019).

The Ministry of Justice Data Lab: Re-offending analysis (2016) reports that in one year, the proven reoffending rate of participants in the Fathers Inside course was 24%. This compares to 40% for a matched control group of similar offenders.