“We left thinking differently”: Pact’s Young Ambassadors reflect on COPE Conference 2026, Milan

By Shem and Toby, Pact Young Ambassadors

In June 2026 two of Pact’s Young Ambassadors - people between the ages of 16 and 20 with lived experience of parental imprisonment - attended the Children of Prisoners Europe (COPE) Conference 2026 in Milan, hosted by Bambinisenzabarre.

This trip wasn’t just about listening to professionals and officials talking about policy —it was about being part of conversations that actually matter.

As young experts by experience involved in this work, it gave us the chance to step into spaces where thinking is shaped, share our perspectives, and learn from people across Europe who are all trying to improve things for children affected by imprisonment.

Being trusted to lead

One of the biggest things for us was being trusted to take on active roles alongside our friends from Parental Imprisonment Collective (UK) and ExpertiseCentrumKind (Netherlands).

For example, we were involved in facilitating discussions surrounding how we can improve the current framing of families affected by imprisonment in the media.

We weren’t just there to observe; we were helping shape the dialogue. Having that responsibility meant we could push conversations further, focus the group’s attention and spark insightful discussions where we could both contribute and learn.

Seeing the bigger picture

Before the conference, most of our understanding was based on the UK system. Being in Milan changed that.

Hearing from different countries gave us a much clearer picture of what’s possible—and what’s not working at home.

One of the biggest shocks was around how families are treated in the media.

Representatives from different countries seemed genuinely shocked by what the media can share about addresses and families of convicted people – it made us realise just how behind the UK really is on this. Our media’s prevailing culture surrounding imprisonment is not at all conducive to positive change and often appears to be focused on inciting anger, and therefore inflicting pain.

Things we might think of as “normal” in the UK actually aren’t—and don’t have to be.

What we learned (and what we didn’t expect)

Some of the most powerful moments came from hearing about work we hadn’t even thought about before. We learned about how different NGOs operated across Europe… where they excelled as well as their drawbacks, and that helped us think about what’s possible at home.

Accessibility was one really interesting area. Learning about the experiences of neurodivergent children visiting prisons made us reflect on our own experiences and how difficult prison visits can be. One of us has experiences of inaccessible visits due to disabilities – but it doesn’t have to be that way.

We wanted to better understand how children's experiences differed from those in England and Wales. For example, in some countries children can live with a parent in prison for several years, including up to the age of six in India.

Moments like that stick with you—they change how you see the system globally, not just locally. 

More than just a conference

Outside of the sessions, Milan gave us the chance to connect with other conference attendees in a more relaxed way—which is often where the most honest conversations happen.

We visited the Duomo at sunset, drank Aperol spritz with new friends and tried as much coffee as we could.
Those shared moments helped break down barriers and made it easier to talk openly about difficult topics.

Why this matters to us

For us, the biggest takeaway is that change doesn’t happen in isolation.

It's so important to hear from people in other countries because it helps you understand your own system more clearly. It shows what is truly systemic, what is the result of policy choices, and where change is possible.

As people who want to lead progress in the British system, exposing ourselves to experiences from other countries is crucial to learn how to progress in the right direction.

Being part of these conversations helps us:

• understand where the UK is falling short
• learn from ideas that are already working elsewhere
• feel more confident speaking up and influencing change

It also reminds us that the issues children face are shared across borders—and so are the solutions.

What we’re taking forward

We left Milan with more than just ideas—we left with a different perspective.

We’re thinking more critically about:

• how families are represented
• how accessible systems really are
• where the UK needs to improve
• and how we can be part of that change

Most importantly, we left knowing our voices matter.

A huge thank you to Children of Prisoners Europe for giving us the opportunity to get so involved the conference. Because when young people are given real opportunities to contribute—not just attend—it doesn’t just benefit us. It strengthens the whole sector and leads to better outcomes for children and families.