A CHARITY has introduced an initiative at a prison to support female inmates who have lost their children to compulsory adoption.

Launched yesterday by the After Adoption charity, the Inside Outside project forms part of the Government's Adults Facing Chronic Exclusion programme.

Nearly half of women sentenced to prison are mothers, and two-thirds of them have children under ten.

An estimated 8,000 children are affected each year by the imprisonment of their mother, with a third of them losing their only carer.

At Low Newton, in Durham, as well as Styal Prison, in Cheshire, After Adoption will join offender supervisors to provide co-ordinated support.

Combining individual counselling and support groups, the programme will help mothers in prison, on remand and on their release to understand and cope with the compulsory adoption of their children.

Working with groups, including housing, mental health, drug and alcohol services, After Adoption aims to help mothers work through the grief of losing a child and potential prejudice on release.

The charity will also encourage positive relationships and help to reduce the risk of subsequent children being removed.

At the launch in Newcastle, Lynn Charlton, the chief executive of After Adoption, said: "Losing children through compulsory adoption while in prison can leave parents vulnerable to ongoing mental health problems.

"To date, there has been limited support available to help them cope with the trauma of the situation.

"Inside Outside will ensure parents in Low Newton and Styal prisons receive the help they need and will contribute to helping children removed from their care to understand the circumstances that led to their adoption.

"Often, these families come from disadvantaged sectors of our society and desperately need support.

"We are very pleased that the Government has recognised the importance Inside Outside will have, helping these parents and their children and giving them a chance to play a positive role in society."