Voices Unlocked

Email us at [email protected] episode seven of Voices Unlocked, hosts Lorna and Liv welcome their first guest, Lindsay, a parent whose children have been involved with Time Matters for four years since their dad was imprisoned. Lindsay shares how she found out through friends rather than any official contact, her initial anger, and the difficulty of answering the children’s questions without information. She explains deciding to be honest after seeing how lying can cause resentment, and describes how an initial lie about the army upset her son. The conversation highlights gaps in communication from prisons and probation, the impact of media exposure on children, and the “hidden sentence” families feel. Lindsay credits Time Matters and additional school and counselling support with helping her children thrive, discusses her son’s ADHD and need for positive outlets, and notes that home leave and release transitions can be especially challenging. The episode ends with gratitude and encouragement to seek support without shame.00:00 Disclaimer00:34 Welcome and Guest Intro01:27 Four Years In02:16 Finding Out He Was Arrested05:59 Telling the Kids09:36 No Official Support13:47 Media and Online Exposure16:29 Hidden Sentence Impact17:32 Discovering Time Matters21:07 Why Time Matters Helps23:49 Trauma ADHD and Dopamine25:25 Positive snowball effect26:49 Park encounter wins29:00 Boys being vulnerable31:13 Family for life32:38 Home leave struggles35:13 Release rollercoaster37:25 Advice and ditch shame40:34 Kids speaking openly44:42 Gratitude and wrap-up

Email us at [email protected] and Liv welcome guest Aaron, whom they have known since he was a child through Time Matters, and reflect on his early confidence in support groups and media work, including a BBC News interview. Aaron shares how his dad went to prison when he was nine, why his family chose not to maintain contact, and how rebuilding foundations through his mum’s research and peer support helped him cope. He describes stigma and bullying at school, including threats and being judged as destined to offend, and discusses the importance of vulnerability and safe spaces. They talk about the verbatim theatre production Eight Hours There and Back and Aaron’s later work presenting for BBC The One Show. Aaron also recounts being shortlisted worldwide for the International Child Peace Prize, placing second, and shares his current achievements in the Air Cadets and as a Lord-Lieutenant Cadet.00:00 Disclaimer00:34 Welcome and Guest Intro01:34 Catching Up and Memories05:36 Aaron Dad Prison Story06:34 Choosing No Contact09:49 Rebuilding Foundations11:44 Safe Space and Vulnerability14:11 Theatre Project Origins20:04 One Show and Impact23:40 School Struggles and Stigma27:33 Stigma and Expectations29:27 Breaking the Criminal Gene Myth30:48 Safeguarding and Enabling Environments33:01 Motivation and Paying It Forward35:17 London Trips and Tube Chaos38:57 Child Peace Prize Spotlight41:46 Top Three Journey and Global Stage48:03 Subtitles and Speech Impact50:35 Cadets Role and New Achievements52:35 Gratitude and Wrap Up

Email us at [email protected] In episode 5 of Voices Unlocked, Liv and Lorna share their whirlwind trip to the USA after their short drama film That Girl, about a girl growing up with a mother in prison, was selected for the Idyllwild film festival in California. They recount the chaotic travel and arriving in snowy mountains with only summer clothes, meeting supportive festival friends like Nicole, and the emotional experience of watching the film with audiences and receiving heartfelt feedback. The team won three awards, including best editing, a narrative award, and the overall Festival Director’s Choice Award, and Liv describes how meaningful it was to hear pride from her mum as they rebuild their relationship. They end by encouraging young people affected by parental imprisonment that they are not defined by stigma and can achieve their goals.00:00 Disclaimer00:34 Episode Intro and Thanks00:48 Palm Springs Mix Up02:09 Why We Went03:16 Last Minute Travel Chaos04:22 Cabin Life and Roast Dinner05:56 Sharing Our Stories07:14 Awards and Impact11:23 Family Call and Voice Note13:14 Rebuilding With Mum18:22 Bigger Message for Kids20:42 Media Stigma and Future Topics22:41 Gratitude and Goodbye

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

Email us at [email protected] episode three of Voices Unlocked, Liv and Lorna discuss prison visits and contact for children with a parent in prison, stressing that they are not therapists and encouraging listener self-care. Lorna shares UK estimates of 192,000–312,000 children affected and explains that visit experiences vary due to inconsistent policies across prisons.Liv describes her first visit to see her mum, including long travel, visiting orders, searches, supportive staff, and the emotional difficulty of saying goodbye, as well as a negative experience on a family day and a later, colder prison with fewer child-friendly resources. She recounts being unexpectedly placed on a closed visit behind glass and the impact of not being able to hug her mum. They note improvements in family-focused visits, discuss ways to stay connected (letters, email, calls, video), suggest tools like “Missing You” boxes, and offer advice for first-time visitors, including planning self-care.Chapters:00:00 Podcast Safety Notice00:29 Episode Three Kickoff03:12 UK Stats Explained05:02 First Visit Journey07:32 Security And Support09:00 Meeting Mum Inside11:21 Goodbyes And Anxiety15:24 Visits Getting Better17:13 Family Day Story21:09 Good Staff Like Nicole23:05 Why Visits Matter23:19 Travel And Prison Rules26:52 Closed Visit Shock31:18 Should Kids Visit33:04 What Helped After Visits34:05 Keeping The Bond35:35 Letters And New Tech39:52 Theatre Changing Prisons42:48 Advice For First Timers47:23 Self Care And Goodbye

Email us at [email protected] episode two of Voices Unlocked, the hosts remind listeners they are not therapists and encourage self-care during emotional conversations. They reflect on how their long friendship shaped their lives, then discuss how families tell children when a parent goes into custody and what that moment feels like.Liv shares learning at age eight that her mum was in prison after being told she was “working away,” describing delayed grief, unanswered questions, fears shaped by cartoons, and the stigma that made her feel responsible for defending her mum. Lorna explains concepts including ambiguous loss and disenfranchised grief and why carers may delay disclosure while they figure things out. They highlight the value of peer support groups, differences in coping at different ages, and preview episode three on prison visits and contact, ending with Liv reading her award-winning poem “Dear Mum.”Chapters:00:00 Podcast Disclaimer00:29 Episode Two Catchup03:18 Telling Kids The Truth04:01 Finding Out At Eight07:35 Grief And Judgment10:21 Ambiguous Loss Explained14:27 Justin Bieber Support Group17:28 Why Peer Support Works20:04 Second Time Around21:51 Support Group Nerves23:08 New Kids Find Belonging24:26 Family Connection Magic24:51 Why Support Groups Help26:26 Moms vs Dads in Prison28:02 Finding Out the Truth30:12 Suitcase Kid Childhood32:05 Second Time Anger34:07 Posting Parcels in Uniform36:14 Halloween Party Detour39:39 Dear Mom Poem Finale43:44 Gratitude and Wrap Up

Email us at [email protected] the first episode of Voices Unlocked, Liv and Lorna introduce their podcast as a safe space to share real-life experiences of growing up with a parent in prison, while noting they are not therapists and encouraging listeners to look after themselves during emotional conversations.Lorna shares how her career developed through prison research into founding Time Matters UK, and how she met Liv when Liv was eight after Liv’s mum went to prison. They reflect on advocacy moments like Liv speaking at conferences and appearing anonymously on the Jeremy Vine show, discuss stigma and lifelong impacts, and outline future topics such as school, prison visits, and support groups, inviting anonymous questions via email.Chapters:00:00 Podcast Safety Notice01:20 Mission and Audience02:56 Meet the Hosts03:40 Lorna Origin Story07:03 Liv Childhood Impact10:11 Learning to Support Kids14:33 Jeremy Vine Mixup16:42 Finding Your Voice17:40 Mum in Prison Lessons19:27 Why This Podcast Matters21:28 Let Young People Lead25:06 Coping Through Helping29:32 Closing Thanks and Contact