Over a period of five years Karen takes her four young children on the long and laborious journey to visit her husband Ian,imprisoned for an unspecified crime. Away from the jail life goes on as the kids get into a fight over a taunt about their father by another school-kid and Karen,feeling lonely,sleeps with Eddie from the pub where she works. Towards the end of his sentence Ian is given a day out to spend with the family and disaster almost strikes after an allegation of drug smuggling,but somehow the family will pull through.