Prisoners helping babies to have the best start in life

Practical support from prisoners at Auckland Regional Women’s Corrections Facility is helping families with newborn babies in the Counties Manukau region.

Middlemore Hospital has the busiest birthing unit in New Zealand, with over 8000 births annually. The South Auckland Health Foundation support and fundraise for services provided by the Counties Manukau District Health Board, including practical support for families leaving hospital with new additions.

The support includes prisoners being part of a nationwide network of volunteers who knit peggy squares to be sewn into blankets and tiny woollen hats. These are then made into packs of woollen clothing and distributed to new mums who need them.

“We have some older prisoners in our custody who can’t physically take part in other activities at the site. The prison chaplaincy has organised for these women to knit peggy squares for blankets and beanies for families in the community who need them,” says Assistant Regional Manager Vicki Muir.

Prisoners have also recently taken on a new task – the creation of ‘post-natal packs’ that include information about caring for new babies, vouchers for discounts on baby products and a DVD about bonding with baby inside folders.

“Creating the post-natal packs is quite a big job and you need a bit of space to spread all the boxes out – we have that at the prison, and we’re only too pleased to help. There is benefit for the prisoners too – exposure to all the parenting advice and baby care gets them thinking about their own children and caring for them when they leave prison.”

“The women are also proud to be able to offer something back to the communities that they have offended against, with some of the women themselves knowing the struggle it is to adjust to having a new baby, and the cost involved in buying good quality, warm, items to keep babies warm and healthy.”

“As long as we have wool available, leaflets and DVD’s to package and babies are born, then the prison will continue to help. Wool is in hot demand and we always appreciate people posting us the spare balls that they may not have a use for.”

Michelle Kidd, Public Relations Manager for the South Auckland Health Foundation, says the work undertaken by the prison is time consuming, but important.

“It is so meaningful to us to see the amount of time and love that goes into both the knitting and assembling of the post-natal packs. They can have a huge positive impact for our new mums.

“It is a pleasure to deal with the Auckland Regional Women’s Correction Facility, they are always keen to help when they can and their work is of a very high standard.”

ENDS

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