Mother's Day a 'special day' for prison mums and their kids

A prisoner works on the Mother's Day banner. Arohata Prison is creating a memorable day for children and mums in prison on Sunday. Photo / Corrections

Face painting, crafts and movies will all be on the cards for children visiting their mums for Mother's Day this Sunday at Arohota Prison in Wellington.

The minimum-to-high security prison currently houses 75 inmates with children.

The young visitors will be greeted with a colourful banner that reads "Happy Mothers Day", craft materials will also be available for children who want to try their hand at art and prison volunteers will help out with face painting.

The inmates are looking forward to the day, said one prisoner

"Even though I'm in prison, Mother's Day is still a special day for me, and my family always try and arrange to visit me with my kids. I always look forward to Mother's Day," she said.

A Mother's Day colouring-in card designed and printed in Rimutaka's Print Shop has been produced. Photo / Corrections

Those studying for printing qualifications at Rimutaka men's prison also helped with preparations. They assisted with the banner and printed Mother's Day cards that children could colour in.

A spokesperson from the Department of Corrections said the women's facilities in Auckland and Christchurch also have a celebration for the day, but none of them are as big as the Wellington one this year.

Corrections Minister Judith Collins sent out a statement saying, with 20,000 New Zealand children who have a parent in prison at any given time, special occasions can be particularly hard to manage.

"It is important that we remember that the children of prisoners are not responsible for their parents' offending. They deserve to feel safe, supported and loved in order to create a future for them that is free from the impact of intergenerational crime and imprisonment."