This presentation explores the lived experiences of ex-offender fathers who were actively engaged in caregiving prior to incarceration. It investigates how these men sustained relationships with their children during imprisonment and navigated the complex terrain of fatherhood following release. Drawing on 30 semi-structured interviews conducted in Spring 2025 with UK-based fathers recently released from prison, this study offers early insights into the emotional, relational, and structural challenges they face.
Preliminary findings reveal that while many fathers received meaningful support within prison—including structured communication programme and mental health services—post-release realities were starkly different. Participants reported significant difficulties in re-establishing bonds with their children, compounded by limited access to support networks, employment barriers, and the persistent stigma surrounding their parental role. Notably, fatherhood in the post-release context emerged as largely invisible, echoing broader patterns of paternal marginalization within institutional settings.
This session argues for a reimagining of post-release support, advocating for targeted reintegration training, improved access to community-based parenting networks, and employment pathways that recognize the unique needs of returning fathers. By centring their voices, this research contributes to a deeper understanding of fatherhood after incarceration and calls for systemic change to better support familial reconnection and social reintegration.
Moderated by Raphael Hamunyela, Commissioner General, Namibian Correctional Service, Namibia
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Dr. Jasmine Kelland
Associate Professor, University of Plymouth, United Kingdom
Dr Kelland is an Associate Professor in Human Resource Management and a Programme Leader at the University of Plymouth. Prior to her career in academia she had a successful career in HR Management, working for organisations such as ITV, NHS and Boots the Chemist.
Dr Kelland’s work on the ‘fatherhood forfeit’ has been widely cited within the press (such as The Guardian, The Times, The Telegraph, The Independent, The Mail and New Scientist), by professional bodies (such as CIPD) and she has contributed to numerous blogs and webinars on the topic of fathers at work. Her ‘fatherhood forfeit’ research has been published by the House of Commons Women and Equalities Select Committee and referred to in a House of Commons debate exploring ‘Fathers in the Family’. She has presented her research to the UK Parliament All-Party Parliamentary Group on Fatherhood, professional and international academic conferences and numerous organisations. Additionally, she regularly discusses the challenges facing caregiving fathers through media outlets such as Sky News and BBC Radio.
Her book “Caregiving Fathers in the Workplace: Organisational Experiences and the Fatherhood Forfeit” , published by Palgrave Macmillan is out now.
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Dr Ian Blackwell
Research Assistant, The Dads Network, United Kingdom
Dr. Ian Blackwell is a Research Assistant at Plymouth University, a Visiting Lecturer at Plymouth Marjon University, and an Honorary Fellow at the Centre for Innovation in Fatherhood and Family Research (University of Lincoln). Ian has worked with community Dads groups in the UK since 2007, has published widely on fatherhood and has presented his research at several international conferences. Ian is a member of the European Society of Family Relationships and ONEFaR (the European Network of Fatherhood Research). His most recent article, published in the Journal of Family Studies, explores the concept of 'Dadness'.
