Barneside - Halden Prison Children's Website
BARNESIDE - An innovative, child-friendly website designed to help children understand and feel comfortable visiting their parents at Halden Prison.
About the Client
Halden Prison (Halden fengsel) is known as one of the world's most humane correctional facilities, focusing on rehabilitation and maintaining family connections. They are committed to innovative approaches that support both inmates and their families, particularly children who visit their incarcerated parents.
The Challenge
Create a website specifically designed for children whose parents are incarcerated at Halden Prison. The challenge was to make the prison environment less intimidating and more understandable for young visitors, while providing educational content that helps children cope with the complex emotions of having a parent in prison. The solution needed to be engaging, age-appropriate, and sensitive to the unique psychological needs of these children.
The Solution
We developed BARNESIDE, an innovative child-friendly website featuring a lovable frog mascot with a crown as the main character. The solution includes: an interactive map of the prison facilities with numbered points of interest, educational content explaining the prison environment in child-friendly terms, engaging animations and colorful design elements, sections for different areas like 'Besøkshus' (Visiting House) and 'Gymsal K-bygg' (Gymnasium), news and updates section called 'Siste Aktuelle', useful links section 'Nyttige linker', and contact information with friendly staff photos. The entire experience is designed to reduce anxiety and create positive associations with visiting.
Interactive Prison Map
Child-friendly interactive map showing different areas of the prison with numbered points of interest
Welcome Page with Frog Mascot
Welcoming homepage featuring the friendly frog mascot explaining about the prison in child-friendly language
Educational Visiting House Section
Interactive section about the visiting house with animated classroom scene and educational content
Gymnasium Presentation Area
Colorful section showcasing the gymnasium with musical presentation and entertainment activities
News and Updates Section
Bright and engaging news section with colorful cards showing latest updates and activities
Useful Links Section
Helpful resources section with the frog mascot providing useful links and information for families
Contact Information
Friendly contact section with staff photos and information, making the prison staff more approachable for children
Main Branding Image
Professional image showing prison staff with children, representing the family-friendly approach of Halden Prison
The Result
BARNESIDE has successfully transformed the experience for children visiting Halden Prison, making it less intimidating and more educational. The website has been praised for its innovative approach to addressing a sensitive social issue, helping children better understand their parent's situation while maintaining important family connections. The project demonstrates how thoughtful design can address complex social challenges and support vulnerable populations.