Australia's National
Prison Newspaper

Welcome to About Time

About Time is the national newspaper for Australian prisons and detention facilities

Your browser window currently does not have enough height, or is zoomed in too far to view our website content correctly. Once the window reaches the minimum required height or zoom percentage, the content will display automatically.

Alternatively, you can learn more via the links below.

Donations via GiveNow

Email

Instagram

LinkedIn

Australia's National
Prison Newspaper

ISSUE NO. 15

October 2025

Donate Here

Culture

Australia’s First Picture Book About Parents in Prison

By

Jacqueline Dinan

Font Size
Font Size
Line Height
Line Height
Dyslexia Friendly
Black & White
Hide Images
Night Mode

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that this article contains a name and image of a deceased person.

A new children’s book addresses the incarceration of parents. It’s titled My Dad’s Gone Away and was written by Andrew Krakouer and Jacqueline Dinan. In the story, Tarah’s dad has gone away, and she doesn’t know where. She imagines he is doing all the things he loves, but, when she asks her mum, everything changes. This heartfelt, honest and sensitively told story explores the challenges faced by a child when their parent is incarcerated. My Dad’s Gone Away sheds light on an unspoken issue and gently encourages children and families to talk about how they feel, prepare for visiting day and bolster their resilience to help pass the time.

This age-appropriate story will help encourage such children to have safe conversations with a trusted adult, whether that’s a family member, caseworker, teacher, social worker, coach or carer. For children whose lives are not affected by parental incarceration, this story should promote empathy and compassion as they become aware of different life experiences.

My Dad’s Gone Away is written from a child’s perspective and is illustrated with care, complemented by soft, warm tones. The story captures the confusion, curiosity and heartache of dealing with missing a parent.

It was created by acclaimed Australian rules footballer the late Andrew Krakouer and former foster carer and host mother Jacqueline Dinan, in collaboration with illustrator Paul Seden. It is a tool to help children feel that they are not alone and to break down stigmas surrounding their circumstances.

An Indigenous girl named Tarah was chosen as the main character to help shine a light on the disproportional incarceration rates incurred by First Nations people in this country. First Nations people account for 3.2 per cent of the Australian population but for 32 per cent of Australia’s incarcerated population.

The book was published by Magabala Books and generously endorsed by Australian singer and songwriter Paul Kelly. My Dad’s Gone Away is a strong, direct and important story, beautifully told and illustrated.

A new children’s book addresses the incarceration of parents. It’s titled My Dad’s Gone Away and was written by Andrew Krakouer and Jacqueline Dinan. In the story, Tarah’s dad has gone away, and she doesn’t know where. She imagines he is doing all the things he loves, but, when she asks her mum, everything changes. This heartfelt, honest and sensitively told story explores the challenges faced by a child when their parent is incarcerated. My Dad’s Gone Away sheds light on an unspoken issue and gently encourages children and families to talk about how they feel, prepare for visiting day and bolster their resilience to help pass the time.

This age-appropriate story will help encourage such children to have safe conversations with a trusted adult, whether that’s a family member, caseworker, teacher, social worker, coach or carer. For children whose lives are not affected by parental incarceration, this story should promote empathy and compassion as they become aware of different life experiences.

My Dad’s Gone Away is written from a child’s perspective and is illustrated with care, complemented by soft, warm tones. The story captures the confusion, curiosity and heartache of dealing with missing a parent.

It was created by acclaimed Australian rules footballer the late Andrew Krakouer and former foster carer and host mother Jacqueline Dinan, in collaboration with illustrator Paul Seden. It is a tool to help children feel that they are not alone and to break down stigmas surrounding their circumstances.

An Indigenous girl named Tarah was chosen as the main character to help shine a light on the disproportional incarceration rates incurred by First Nations people in this country. First Nations people account for 3.2 per cent of the Australian population but for 32 per cent of Australia’s incarcerated population.

The book was published by Magabala Books and generously endorsed by Australian singer and songwriter Paul Kelly. My Dad’s Gone Away is a strong, direct and important story, beautifully told and illustrated.

Movie Review of Dream Scenario

Movie Review of Dream Scenario

Movie Review of Dream Scenario

By Vincent
By Vincent

Dream Scenario is a deliciously quirky film by Director, Kristoffer Borgli. The audience is taken on an unexpected journey which travails the terrain between the conscious and subconscious mind.

Culture

ISSUE NO. 10

3 MIN READ

Locked Up on Screen: The Enduring Appeal of Prison Movies

Locked Up on Screen: The Enduring Appeal of Prison Movies

Locked Up on Screen: The Enduring Appeal of Prison Movies

By Benjamin Aitken
By Benjamin Aitken

Even before going to prison, I was drawn to prison movies. Now, after my time inside, I’m even more captivated.

Culture

ISSUE NO. 11

4 MIN READ

Review of Songs Inside

Review of Songs Inside

Review of Songs Inside

By About Time
By About Time

Songs Inside received the Audience Award at the Adelaide Film Festival and Documentary Australia Award at the Sydney Film Festival. It’s touring around the country.

Culture

ISSUE NO. 13

2 MIN READ

Leave a Comment

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
0 Comments
Author Name
Comment Time

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere. uis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

Your Armchair Guide to Summer Sport

By Goal Mouth

An overview of recent sporting events, including horse racing, motor racing, AFLW and cricket.

Culture

ISSUE NO. 17

3 MIN READ

Visions Through the Eyes of a Palestinian Prisoner

By Damien Linnane

Knowing what an incredibly powerful story he had – not to mention unique artworks – after the interview I asked Mohannad if he would be interested in having art exhibited in Australia.

Culture

ISSUE NO. 17

1 MIN READ

Sports Round Up!

By Goal Mouth

A collection of sports news from the past month, including Brisbane possibly being our new sporting capital, Aussie women finding lots of wins in Cricket and loutish crowd behaviour marring the Ryder Cup.

Culture

ISSUE NO. 16

5 MIN READ

Games in Prison: An Interview with Bull Press

By Edith McLellan

We’re Bull Press. We make games – conversational tabletop games – for a prison environment. Most of us have spent time in prison, and we’re based in the USA.

Culture

ISSUE NO. 16

3 MIN READ

Get the full paper in print each month.

6-Month Subscription:

Physical copy of About Time delivered to your home or organisation each month for six months. Paid upfront.

Subscribe for $70

12-Month Subscription:

Physical copy of About Time delivered to your home or organisation each month for twelve months. Paid upfront.

Subscribe for $125

Newsletter

Be the first to learn about our monthly stories, plus new initiatives and live events

You've successfully registered!
Something went wrong when we tried to register your details. Please try again.

Support Australia's First National Prison Newspaper

A place for news and education, expression and hope

Help keep the momentum going. All donations will be vital in providing an essential resource for people in prison and their loved ones.

All donations of $2 or more are tax deductible. If you would like to pay directly into our bank account to avoid the processing fee, please contact donate@abouttime.org.au. ABN 67 667 331 106.

It's
About Time.

A place for news and education, expression and hope.

Help us get About Time off the ground. All donations are tax deductible and will be vital in providing an essential resource for people in prison and their loved ones.

Donate Here

Newsletter

Be the first to learn about our monthly stories, plus new initiatives and live events

You've successfully registered!
Something went wrong when we tried to register your details. Please try again.