Dubai Central Jail sets up nursery for inmates’ kids
FACILITY IN WOMEN’S PRISON WILL HAVE 57 BEDS AND WILL BE UNDER THE CARE OF 15 NANNIES
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Ateam of 15 specialised nannies will look after infants and children of female prisoners in Dubai Central Jail as part of a project to improve living conditions for children.
Women inmates are allowed to keep their children under certain conditions but they must leave their children at a nursery and can’t keep them alongside them in their cells.
Lt Colonel Jameela Al Zaabi, Director of the Female Prison in the Correctional and Punitive Establishments Department at Dubai Police, told Gulf News that a new nursery building is all ready and furnished but they are waiting for specialised Filipino nannies to take charge of the nursery.
“We are waiting for 15 specialised nannies to come and look after the children inside the jail. It is a five-star nursery with eight rooms and contains 57 beds for children designed in pink and blue colours with play areas and educational classes,” Lt Col Al Zaabi told Gulf News in an exclusive interview.
With 70 children of women inmates staying on the premises, Lt Col Al Zaabi thinks the nursery will be a brilliant solution to keeping the children out of the prison atmosphere.
Meanwhile, Maj Gen Abdullah Al Merri, Commander in Chief of Dubai Police, yesterday issued directives to organise leisure trips for the children staying in the prison after getting permission from their ■ mothers. Women inmates can visit their children in the nursery and may also breastfeed them and play with them any time they want.
“Those children are of different ages, from newborns to seven-year-olds. Children under age two will stay with their mothers, but older children will be living in the new nursery. The policewomen who work in the nursery will wear civilian clothes and not military uniforms.”
Educational support
Lt Col Al Zaabi said there is a doctor on the premises to check on the children round the clock. “The number of children is different from one day to another as some mothers leave and others come. We have newborn babies and we want them to have better conditions and provide best services for them by bringing specialised nannies,” she added.
The children receive their education in the nursery and are isolated from the inmates’ sections. Lt Col Al Zaabi said the department also assists with sending children to family members even outside UAE. “We try to contact relatives of the children to take their custody and are ready to pay for their tickets to send them to their home countries so they can live with relatives as we know it is not good for a child to stay in a prison.”
However, some imprisoned mothers fail to look after their children, she said, adding that a social worker is always at hand to help such individuals. “We had a mother who beat up her newborn baby who was a result of an illegal affair. She was blaming the child, that he was the reason she was behind bars. We warned her and she went through sessions with our social expert on how to deal with her child,” she added. ■
children of women inmates are staying now in the jail