Approximately 1 in 28 children in America have a parent who is incarcerated.
Since 2018, the Kansas Children’s Discovery Center in Topeka has been providing some children and incarcerated mothers a chance to reconnect and bond at the children’s museum.
“These are children who are serving a sentence right along with their caregiver, their adult, their parent, through no fault of their own,” said Dené Mosier, President and CEO of the Kansas Children’s Discovery Center. “When we can protect those children and those children's self-esteem and their values that helps keep that connection. So, yes, the mothers benefit, but this is about the children.”
Approximately eight times a year, the Discovery Center closes to the public for the Play Free program, which allows mothers and grandmothers who pose a low security risk and have no adverse behavior to spend the day with their minor children.
The families have meals together, take photos and engage in child-led activities.
The women’s program is the focus of the new documentary “Play Free,” by Lawrence filmmaker Stephen Lerner.
The Lawrence Arts Center will host a free public screening of the documentary on November 12.
During filming, Lerner said he saw a tremendous amount of joy among the women and children, just as you’d see with any other family. But he did recognize an “undercurrent of sadness” from the families that knew they’d be separated again.
Mosier said mothers and prison officials report the program benefits the incarcerated women and the correctional facility.
“Ninety-four percent of the participants say that just the opportunity to participate in the program changes their choices daily within the facility,” Mosier said.
Lerner acknowledged the program may have critics.
“Even somebody who thinks the women don't deserve privileges, why would they be against the women improving themselves so that when they get out, they're going to have a good pathway ahead of them?” Lerner said.
Stephen Lerner Film: Play Free, 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12 at The Lawrence Arts, 940 New Hampshire St., Lawrence, Kansas 66044.
- Stephen Lerner, Lawrence, Kansas filmmaker
- Dené Mosier, president and CEO, Kansas Children’s Discovery Center
