50th Bright Space Opens

The Bright Horizons Foundation for Children has celebrated the opening of its 50th Bright Space, which opened at Wormwood Scrubs Prison at the end of February.

The Foundation and its volunteers have transformed the prison visits hall into an enriching, fun, and child-friendly environment for children visiting their fathers and male relatives. The prison asked the Foundation to create an environment to encourage interaction and play between the children and their families. The Bright Space provides opportunities for role-play and dressing-up, art and craft activities, games, soft play, reading and physical play, with trikes, and table tennis and football.

James Tugendhat, Managing Director of Bright Horizons and a Director of the Foundation said, “We are delighted to open our 50th Bright Space in the UK and Ireland for Wormwood Scrubs Prison. I have heard first-hand about the impact our Bright Spaces have on families affected by parental imprisonment. We know that the children of imprisoned parents are among the most vulnerable in our society, and we also know that offenders are significantly less likely to re-offend on release if they maintain their family ties when in prison. This Bright Space will encourage children to visit their relatives, resulting in the strengthening of their family attachments, in an environment where their needs have been taken into account. The growth of our Bright Space programme also demonstrates Bright Horizons Family Solutions’ firm commitment to making a difference in the communities where we live and work, which is core to our mission.”