Voices Unlocked Ep. 4 | School, Stigma & Support When a Parent Is in Prison

Email us at [email protected] episode four of Voices Unlocked, Lorna and Liv discuss what school can feel like for a young person with a parent in prison, including stigma, gossip, exclusion, and the difference between maternal and paternal imprisonment. Liv shares thriving academically while also facing playground comments, anxiety and panic attacks, and a harmful incident where a substitute teacher said she would “end up like” her mum.They highlight the importance of good pastoral support and mentors, the challenges of being taken out of class for interventions, and how schools often lack training. The conversation stresses privacy, safeguarding, and GDPR, warning against teachers or students asking what the parent did or Googling cases, and encourages listeners to share anonymous stories and questions.Chapters:00:00 Podcast Safety Notice00:29 Episode Four Setup01:08 School With Prison Parent02:20 Women In Prison Stats05:09 Primary School Memories06:46 Mentors And Support07:51 Playground Gossip Exclusion10:12 Teacher Comment Trauma12:58 Anxiety And Going Home13:53 Cousin As Protector15:59 Netto Bag Bullying17:15 Reebok Classics Disaster19:32 School Stigma and Bullying20:18 Teacher Dos and Donts22:25 Breaking Crime Cycle Myths25:40 Isolation and Social Media Triggers28:09 Privacy Not Staffroom Gossip33:02 When Support Becomes Oversharing35:42 Rights Kindness and Wrap Up