By Catherine Flynn and Kathryn Gor

This report presents the findings of consultations held with affected children aged between 11 and 15 years old who have a parent in prison. It highlights the lack of research and policy attention given to this disadvantaged group and seeks to contribute to a stronger evidence base for future policy decisions by sharing their experiences.

An estimated 40,000 children in Australia have a parent in prison on any given day. Despite this, only three studies have heard directly from children of prisoners in the past decade and Australia currently has no guidelines around supporting children during the time of parental arrest.

Findings

1. Children largely rely on informal family supports, but there are frequently limitations on support available.

2. Teachers have the potential to be strong supporters of children who experience parental imprisonment, but need improved knowledge and skills.

3. Adults in the justice system are largely absent from children’s view.

4. The normal activities and experiences of childhood remain important to children when they have a parent in prison.

5. Children desire respect for their privacy.

6. Children want their own needs and rights to be recognised and responded to.

Melbourne: Monash University 2024. 53p.

Edited by J. Mark Eddy and Julie Poehlmann-Tynan

The second edition of this handbook examines family life, health, and educational issues that often arise for the millions of children in the United States whose parents are in prison or jail. It details how these youth are more likely to exhibit behavior problems such as aggression, substance abuse, learning difficulties, mental health concerns, and physical health issues. It also examines resilience and how children and families thrive even in the face of multiple challenges related to parental incarceration. Chapters integrate diverse; interdisciplinary; and rapidly expanding literature and synthesizes rigorous scholarship to address the needs of children from multiple perspectives, including child welfare; education; health care; mental health; law enforcement; corrections; and law. The handbook concludes with a chapter that explores new directions in research, policy, and practice to improve the life chances of children with incarcerated parents.

Cham: Springer, 2019. 386p.

By Jean Tomkin

The legal rights of children under international law have been developing since 1919, with both regional and global treaties safeguarding their interests. Yet many of these rights, enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child and other texts, are put at risk when a parent is imprisoned…. At the core of decisions relating to children, including children affected by the actual or potential imprisonment of a parent, is a determination of their best interests. This principle, which requires that the best interests of the child is a primary consideration, has been interpreted widely by States. This paper sets out to analyse the approach of courts in a variety of jurisdictions.

Geneva, SWIT: Quaker United Nations Office, 2009. 58p.

By Oliver Robertson

This paper draws together many of the examples of good policy and practice that were made at the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child’s Day of General Discussion (DGD) 2011, on the topic ‘Children of Incarcerated Parents’

The paper will begin with an introduction and some general principles to consider at all times, then look at some issues that occur at various points (data collection, future research and what to tell the children about their parent’s situation) before focusing in detail on each stage of the criminal justice process, from arrest to release and reintegration. Each section will begin with a general principle to help frame the issue, with more specific recommendations and examples of potential good practice made throughout the paper. The recommendations, good practice and issues are not meant to be exhaustive, but to highlight what emerged from the Day of General Discussion.

Geneva, SWIT: Quaker United Nations Office, 2012. 84p.

Edited by Adele D. Jones and Agnieszka E. Wainaina-Woźna

Estimates are that 125,000 children have a parent in prison in England and Wales. Indeed, on the international stage, over half of all prisoners worldwide are thought to have children under the age of 18 yet the impact of a parent’s incarceration on a child is rarely taken into account. COPING increases understanding of how the imprisonment of a parent really affects children. Working in different countries, with different social and cultural traditions, different incarceration levels and different policies and interventions, our research has produced evidence that can inform policy and programmes to better support and protect children from the effects of parental imprisonment right across Europe.”

Huddersfield, UK: University of Huddersfield, 2013. 670p.