“The Growing Crisis – Limited Support”
Sisters Inside Personal Support Programme
Jacqueline Johnson and Natalie Bell
“The Growing Crisis – Limited Support”
Personal Support Programme
• Personal Support Program began at Sisters Inside in July 2002
• The program currently has 55 participants in the greater South East Queensland
area.
The regions that we offer this service in are:
Gold Coast South West Brisbane
Logan North Brisbane
Ipswich Redcliffe/Caboolture
South East Brisbane Sunshine Coast
“The Growing Crisis – Limited Support”
Personal Support Programme
Some of the barriers that women are referred with from centrelink could include
*Homelessness *Gambling Problems
*Drug and/or Alcohol Problems *Poor Communication
*Domestic Violence *Depression
*Social Isolation/Alienation
*Family Relationship Breakdown
*Anxiety Conditions
*Anger Management
*Work Behaviour skills
*Financial Management Problems
“The Growing Crisis – Limited Support”
Personal Support Programme
A survey was completed this year and at the time there was 55 women on the
program. Sisters Inside as a service provider for the Personal Support Program is
a specialist provider meaning who have a specific target group. The program is
open to all women who have been through prison. Women who have been through
the system two weeks ago or three years ago. Reintegration back into the
community can be a constant uphill battle for some women. Therefore women who
were released 5 years ago are still eligible to complete the program with Sisters
Inside.
The following are some of the results from the survey.
“The Growing Crisis – Limited Support”
Personal Support Programme
Breakdown by Region
Gold Coast
Logan
Ipswich
8% 6% 10%
10% South East Brisbane
South West Brisbane
23% 17% North Brisbane
13% 13% Redcliffe/Caboolture
Sunshine Coast
“The Growing Crisis – Limited Support”
Personal Support Programme
Participants Age
17-21
17% 6%
22-30
38% 31-40
39%
40 and
above
“The Growing Crisis – Limited Support”
Personal Support Programme
•Women who enter the prison are generally the sole care givers for their
children.
• 85% of women interviewed were sole care givers.
•It has been noted that women on the PSP sometimes have difficulty meeting
with their children both in Departmental care and those who are in the care of
family members.
•Family may think that the mothers need to get their act together before they
will let them see or take their children.
•Family members are reluctant to uproot children who are established in
schools and extra curricular activities if the mother still has court hearings to
attend.
“The Growing Crisis – Limited Support”
Personal Support Programme
Women and their Children
Department of
Families
27% 27%
With Family
46% In the mothers care
“The Growing Crisis – Limited Support”
Personal Support Programme
Living with friend
Accommodation
Living with family
9% 3% 3% 6%
11%
Living in mobile
3% home
Dept. Housing
Other stable
accommodation
65% Boarding
house/hostel
Homeless
“The Growing Crisis – Limited Support”
Personal Support Programme
Personal Support Programme
Case Study
•Sandy 35 year old Indigenous women
•Released from prison 5 years ago
•6 children, one 18 years and the other five under 16 years of age 3 children are
in the care of the Department of Families and 2 are with two separate family
members
•Sandy was referred by centrelink with the following barriers
•Domestic Violence
•Homelessness
•Family Breakdown
•Other around cancer