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Pressures of being in prison can place an intolerable strain on mothers trying to care for infants. Health visitor JACKY FETTES believes that with the correct level of support, health visitors and nursery nurses can work together with mothers in prison to develop their parenting skills
Community practitioner 2000; 73, 7: 685-686
The mother and baby unit at New Hall prison, west Yorkshire, is one of several similar units established since The Prison Rules 1964 were published. One section of these rules states: `The secretary of state may, subject to any conditions he thinks fit, permit a woman prisoner to have her baby with her in prison, and everything necessary for the baby's maintenance and care may be provided there.' This was the first time the home secretary declared the intention to open mother and baby units in prison. As a consequence, units were set up in Holloway (London), Styal (Cheshire) and Askam Grange (Yorkshire) prisons.
The aim of these units was to create as many opportunities as possible for mothers to develop and use parental responsibilities, duties and skills and to maximise the potential for the children's development. This is not, however, done at the expense of developing other skills and mothers are expected to participate in the daily regime of the prison in which they find themselves.
Mother and baby unit
New Hall is located between Wakefield and Huddersfield. It is a closed prison for adults, young offenders and juveniles who are on remand or serving a sentence. The mother and baby unit, which was purpose-built to a design following Home Office recommendations, inside its own perimeter fence inside the main prison, opened in 1995 and provides places for 10 children up to the age of nine months.
Responsibility for care of the babies lies with a GP in the local community two miles from the prison. The health visitor attached to the practice (the author of this paper), who works for Wakefield and Pontefract Community Health NHS Trust, also provides services for the unit.
Each mother and baby has a room containing a bed, cot, toilet and sink. A television set can be hired for 1 per week. Mothers are allowed to have photographs on the walls and keep some personal...