Evaluation Title

Made for prisoners by prisoners

Type of evaluation

Data type Qualitative and Quantitative

Evaluation Focus Impact of programme

Key indicators Accreditation, Attitudes to parenting, Attitudinal change, Completion rates, Literacy skills, Social and Life Skills

Project output Accreditation

Methodologies Interviews, Observation, Questionnaires

Research limitations Pilot programme

Summary of evaluation

This evaluation by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) of Safe Ground's 'Parents for the 21st Century' initiative, is divided into two distinct phases.  The first focuses on the process of development, whereby inmates played a major role in the production of the course materials - the aim of this evaluation phase was to assess the impact on those involved as ‘course developers’.  

The second phase of the evaluation concerned the trialing of the programme, during which time the programme was delivered by non-Safe Ground personnel at several establishments across the country.  The evaluation aims at this stage were to determine the impact on ‘course participants’ and also to investigate whether teachers (including non-drama teachers) found the course materials usable.

Project description

The 'Parents for the 21st Century' initiative involved the development of two courses: ‘Fathers Inside’ with a focus on parenting and ‘Family Man’ focusing on family relationships.  Although the evaluation covered both courses, it should be noted that only in the case of  ‘Family Man’ was a final version produced.  ‘Fathers Inside’ was still in the processes of refinement at the time of the evaluation.

Key Quote

Safe Ground's family relationships and parenting course owed much of its success to its evolutionary history – it rose out of the ideas and experiences of prisoners.


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Arts Alliance Evidence Library