Our Work

Our principal areas of work can be summarised under the following headings.  Far more detail will be given on request which you can do through our website or email info@bedfordrow.ie

Hospitality at Limerick Prison, Education, Support and Counselling, Information, Referral, Advocacy, Response to Children's Needs, Raising Public Awareness, Research, Re-integration of People Who Have Been in Prison all of which are expanded in paragraphs 1-8 below:


  1. Hospitality at Limerick Prison

    Bedford Row staff are in attendance in the waiting area of Limerick Prison during all visiting times.  We offer refreshments, play materials to children, provide information leaflets and reading materials and aim to create and to maintain a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.

    Currently the Prison authorities are installing a table and chairs for children to draw which will mean that volunteers will be able to be with children while they are waiting.

    ‘To the world you might be one person;
    To one person you might be the world’

     
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  2. Education

    Education in Bedford Row is aimed at having a ‘multiplier effect’.  Over the past number of years skills have spread out into communities, and similarly, expertise and experience has been generously returned to the Project in spades!

    A major educational initiative is the Misneach Project, (Courage), which upskills committed people to take the risk in taking a leadership role in the community of families affected by imprisonment.

    ‘Lifeskills’ is particularly valued.  There are currently approx. 30 people on Lifeskills Courses in Bedford Row.

    Every Tuesday morning we have a Young Mother’s Group which supports young mothers in a creative way with various challenges that might arise from time to time, and every second Friday a group of ex-prisoners meet for social interaction and mutual support.
    (See also the ‘Training’ link on our website)

     
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  3. Support and Counselling

    Counselling is available in Bedford Row for people who feel that they will benefit from it.  This is tailor made for the focus group and is highly valued by all who participate.
    We also offer diverse forms of healing and other support by various practitioners on request.
    On one day a week a children’s play therapist is in attendance.  Many children and parents have benefited and are continuing to benefit greatly from this service.
    Our Outreach Worker works in a creative way with vulnerable young mothers who need support on an ongoing basis and links in with supports in their family.  This work is also highly valued by those young mothers who access the service.

     
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  4. Information, Referral, Advocacy

    Our Information Officer is a fount of information about every service available in Limerick and surrounding areas.
    A lot of Bedford Row work is concerned with advocating on people’s behalf to access services.  We are grateful to all the Prisons in Ireland where our queries are invariably met with courtesy and due consideration, and to many other statutory and voluntary agencies that deal with homelessness, social welfare, payments, addiction, child welfare, education and a host of issues that are the day to day concerns of the focus group.
    We have a lot of information on entitlements and services in Bedford Row that people can read and utilise.
    ‘There are no words to express the abyss between isolation and having one ally’    (G. K. Chesterton).

     
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  5. Response to Children's Needs

    Much research has pointed to the special needs of children of prisoners.  The loss of a parent or very close relative, through imprisonment, is significant.
    Working with children is a vital part of the support that we offer families of prisoners.
    Much of our efforts in this respect involves ensuring that children of prisoners, (including infants yet unborn) grow up in a safe and nurturing environment both in their homes and in their communities. In engaging with great-grandparents and grandparents this work is ‘indirect’.  With parents and children it is ‘direct’.
    A total of 18-20 children and 5-8 teenagers are involved in Groups in Bedford Row on a regular basis. Constant contact is maintained with their parent(s)/carers to support them if needs be.
    Bedford Row Social Worker has pioneered this work in the Project over the past three years.

     
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  6. Raising Public Awareness

    There are not that many specialist agencies working with families of prisoners and it is the responsibility of Bedford Row to promote solutions to sometimes very difficult problems amongst the public at large but in particular our peers who work in this area.
    There is vast potential and talent amongst the focus group and allied to this is a strong motivation that an intelligent and perceptive agency can tap into to ease the distress that families inevitably feel when a member goes to prison.
    There is a need to raise awareness of the unique and distinctive design developed ‘in house’ which tackles such issues in a comprehensive and meaningful way.

     
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  7. Research

    Bedford Row Family Project was set up following a survey of unmet needs in the Limerick area. Our landmark research is available on our Research link on this website.  This is entitled ‘Voices of Families Affected by Imprisonment’. We are very grateful to all who contributed to this study for being open and honest in their accounts of the affects of imprisonment and are inspired by their courage to follow through with work that alleviate the distress of families of prisoners.
    The findings of this Research have been used as a springboard for development of a variety of activities in the Project since publication in 2008.
    The Project is currently beginning the process of external Evaluation of our work over the past 12 years.  We are looking forward to this Evaluation and hope that it assists us in planning into the next decade.

     
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  8. Re-integration of People Who Have Been in Prison

    “You wanna go straight, but something inside keeps pulling you back towards the prison gate”
    20 year old who left prison
    “I was lucky to meet a man that gave me a chance; took me on and trained me. I never looked back”
    Limerick man who spent time in prison

    Bedford Row has always met with ex-prisoners but now we have the happy situation that a part time staff member is dedicated to this important role.  Over the past 6 months this work has developed well, exceeding initial expectations.  Currently the work is existing on charitable donations and such has been its effect that we are now applying for funding to Limerick Regeneration Agency to mainstream the work.

     
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