Isle of Wight woman launches day for children of inmates

A woman who had to live on her own as a teenager after her mother was jailed for drugs offences has dedicated herself to helping vulnerable children.

April Jeffers was 15 when she was left alone at her home on the Isle of Wight.

She said: “I remember being very emotional. I was just getting up and getting on with it.”

On Tuesday, the 38-year-old school worker helped to launch a charity’s first national day for children with a parent in prison.

The event, organised by the charity Children Heard and Seen, called for better support for families.

Ms Jeffers said authorities failed to help her when her mother went to serve a three-year sentence in Manchester.

She recalled: “There was no children’s services input, no communication with the Prison Service.

“I do remember speaking to my school and the adults being quite awkward.”

She continued: “I absolutely was very vulnerable. [The court case] was in the local newspaper with my address.

“That made me a target for bullies. Comments were made but I would give back as good as I got.”

After several weeks of feeling “very let down by everyone”, Ms Jeffers went to live with a friend’s family.

The mother of two from Newport now campaigns for statutory alerts to be shared between authorities when a parent is jailed.

She is also calling for Operation Paramount – a project launched by Thames Valley Police in Oxfordshire to support inmates’ children – to be rolled out across the country.

Her work as a family liaison officer at Queensgate Foundation Primary School in East Cowes has been praised by parents.

Responding on Facebook to news of the charity day, one commenter said: “She is amazing at what she does,” while another wrote: “The best! Cannot thank her enough.”

Ms Jeffers said she was glad to be able to make a difference.

“I’ve always wanted to be working with children that have adverse childhood experience,” she said.