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

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In 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 Notice
00:29 Episode Four Setup
01:08 School With Prison Parent
02:20 Women In Prison Stats
05:09 Primary School Memories
06:46 Mentors And Support
07:51 Playground Gossip Exclusion
10:12 Teacher Comment Trauma
12:58 Anxiety And Going Home
13:53 Cousin As Protector
15:59 Netto Bag Bullying
17:15 Reebok Classics Disaster
19:32 School Stigma and Bullying
20:18 Teacher Dos and Donts
22:25 Breaking Crime Cycle Myths
25:40 Isolation and Social Media Triggers
28:09 Privacy Not Staffroom Gossip
33:02 When Support Becomes Oversharing
35:42 Rights Kindness and Wrap Up