Free mentoring and group sessions, delivered online to families across England and Wales, covering the whole of a sentence from remand to release.
Through the Sentence, a charity supporting children and young people affected by the imprisonment of a parent, sibling or other close family member, has launched and is accepting referrals from across England and Wales. It is registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales under number 1219688.
The charity runs three services, all delivered online and all free. Children receive regular one-to-one mentoring from a consistent, trusted adult. Small online groups bring together children in the same situation. Parents and carers have their own online sessions, aimed at helping the adults at home support a child and feel less isolated themselves.
Two things set the charity apart from most provision in this field. It works with families at every stage, from the point a family member is on remand or awaiting sentence, through the sentence, and after release. And it supports children affected by the imprisonment of a sibling or another close relative, not only a parent. Existing services are weighted towards the sentence itself and rarely extend that far.
Revised Ministry of Justice figures published in September put the number of children in England and Wales with a parent in prison at around 219,000 in the year to October 2024, up from 192,912 two years earlier. The MoJ estimates that around 2 per cent of school-aged children experience parental imprisonment, and describes them as a hidden population whose records sit across several separate government services.
There is no system that identifies a child when a family member is sentenced, no requirement for a court to notify the local authority, and no single agency responsible for their welfare. Families who want help usually have to find it for themselves. Delivering online allows Through the Sentence to reach families in parts of the country where no local service exists.
“I set up Through the Sentence because children were carrying the weight of a sentence they never received. The statistics count them, but they don’t show the quiet things: the child who stops talking at school, the birthday that goes unmarked, the shame they hide. Behind every number is a child who simply wants someone to notice.” said Leah Stanley, founder and chief executive.
Through the Sentence was founded by Leah Stanley, who has a background in criminal justice and in mentoring children affected by parental imprisonment, and holds Designated Safeguarding Lead certification. It is governed by a board of eight trustees, including a qualified social worker who leads on safeguarding. Access to the service runs through a safeguarding-led intake process.
Jessica Harrison, trustee at Through the Sentence, said: “I’m over the moon to see Through the Sentence launch. In England and Wales alone, around 219,000 children are estimated to have a parent in prison each year, yet demand for support continues to outstrip the provision available. There is also a clear gap for children whose needs fall outside the remit of existing services, particularly those affected by the imprisonment of a close relative who isn’t a parent, as well as children needing support before sentencing and after their relative returns home. Through the Sentence aims to fill that gap by providing support across the whole journey, recognising that the impact of imprisonment on a child doesn’t begin or end when someone enters or leaves prison. Having experienced parental imprisonment myself and having received no support during this point in my childhood, I know how important it is that children going through this are given the opportunity to feel listened to, understood, guided and supported. I’m incredibly grateful to Through the Sentence’s Founder, Leah Stanley, for turning her vision into reality, and I’m proud to be part of a charity that has the potential to make such a significant difference to children and families affected by imprisonment.”
Through the Sentence works with children and young people aged 5-17. Mentoring runs weekly for around 45 minutes per session, typically over 10 weeks, with the length of support agreed around each child’s needs. Group sessions for children and for carers run weekly. The charity is currently able to take new referrals, and families are usually matched within a week.
Referrals can be made by organisations working with prisoners and their families, by schools, and by families themselves at www.throughthesentence.org.uk.
Through the Sentence is a registered charity in England and Wales, number 1219688, based in Nantwich, Cheshire, and delivering online across England and Wales. Contact throughthesentence@outlook.com
