Services & Supports for Children & Families

To counteract potential negative outcomes as a result of the experience of children of incarcerated parents,¹ it is important that communities create a coordinated system of supports for children of prisoners and their incarcerated parents.

In addition to the targeted supports related to traumatic experiences; exposure to violence, drugs, and alcohol; and involvement in the child welfare system, children with incarcerated parents should be given opportunities to talk about their feelings, ask questions about the legal process their parent is going through, and be included in planning reentry activities so that they can have some control over the way the parent will be reintroduced into the family.

Children can also benefit from having a mentor while their parent is incarcerated. In these situations, it is essential that the mentor receive specialized training for working with children of incarcerated parents and that the parent understand the role of the mentor and how the relationship might continue with the child once the parent is released.

Services provided to parents while in prison, such as parenting programs, family-strengthening activities during which children visit with their incarcerated parents, and transportation to help children see their parents while in prison, can help children remain connected with their parents and provide parents with the opportunity to interact positively with their children in a structured and supported environment.

Resources

The Antisocial Behavior of the Adolescent Children of Incarcerated Parents: A Developmental Perspective
The Antisocial Behavior of the Adolescent Children of Incarcerated Parents: A Developmental Perspective, discusses the link between parent incarceration and antisocial behavior in adolescents, how it develops overtime, why this issue is important to address, and how to address it.

Effects of Parental Incarceration on Young Children
Effects of Parental Incarceration on Young Children,  addresses the reactions of children with incarcerated parents, as well as: ways of modifying those effects, programs that can help both the parent and the child, how to adopt a whole family approach and why this discussion should inform research and policy issues.

References