HMPPS and Open Clasp invite you to watch Rupture and listen to the leading experts within the field
Each year, an estimated 17,000 children are affected by maternal incarceration (PRiP, 2023), with around 193,000 children nationally impacted. Behind these figures are deeply personal stories of motherhood, separation, and resilience.
HMPPS Insights, in partnership with Open Clasp Theatre Company, invites you to a screening and special online panel discussion exploring these complex issues.
The panel will feature:
- The writer of Rupture and Artistic Director of Open Clasp
- Leading academics studying maternal imprisonment
- Senior HMPPS leaders
- Policy professionals and evidence-based practice specialists
Catrina McHugh MBE, Timothy Lloyd, Becky Hart, Helen Carter, Paula Harriott and Dr Kate O’Brien
The discussion will:
- Examine the real-life impact of maternal imprisonment on families
- Reflect on themes of motherhood, separation, and resilience
- Highlight how HMPPS is working to better understand and mitigate the effects of enforced separation
The panel will be framed around a screening of Rupture, a gripping one-woman show co-created with women in custody at HMP Low Newton.
Filmed by Meerkat Productions after a live tour in March 2025, Rupture brings to life the experiences of mothers in prison in a powerful and human way, described by audiences as “absolutely incredible, powerful, and insightful.”
The session will close with an audience Q&A, giving you the opportunity to engage directly with experts and be part of the conversation.
This is a unique opportunity to hear from those shaping policy, research, and practice around maternal imprisonment, grounded in real stories of families affected.
