In 2002, Sharon Berry worked with the Writer in Residence to develop the Storybook Dads idea at HMP Channings Wood in Devon. Sharon moved to HMP Dartmoor and introduced the scheme there.

Other prisons heard about Storybook Dads and wanted to implement the project too. In 2003 Storybook Dads became a registered charity and more prisons were helped to set up a recording centre.

An editing centre was set up at HMP Dartmoor and a few selected HMP Dartmoor prisoners were trained in audio and video production to assist staff.

This enabled other prisons to send their recording to HMP Dartmoor to be edited and enhanced. 

A new suite of offices was officially opened by Princess Ann in 2007. 

The core team now consists of nine staff ( including one ex-prisoner) who provide an editing and production service to approximately 100 prisons in the UK.

In each prison a department facilitates the recording process, usually, but not exclusively, the library or family service provider.

Since 2003 Storybook Dads has produced approximately 80,000 stories and other gifts for prisoners' children

Over the years Storybook Dads has also trained the Army, Navy and Air Force to copy their model so that service personnel could send stories to their children. Storybook Dads has also advised other countries on how copy their model including, Australia, Denmark, Poland, Hungary, Hong Kong, Portugal and Japan.

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