Practical measures and strategies

Increasing the support available for children of incarcerated parents

Recommendation 12:

• Provide children with access to emotional and psychosocial support, including help in dealing with stress, trauma, and feelings of stigma, blame and shame.
• Ensure the children’s safety and, if necessary, develop and implement child safety plans; allow the child to stay in his/her home under a “supervision order” with conditions that the parents must follow; and, remove the child if the child safety cannot be ensured.
• Improve the children’s access to existing programs (sport, recreation, mentoring, etc.).
• Facilitate the integration of children into a new school or a new community when they have to relocate.
• Help normalize the child’s life (increased adult support and conversations, new relationships, activities, etc.).
• Offer support to children who have developed behavioural issues that affect their adaptation in school, participation in sports, or enjoyment of recreational and sport activities.

Practical measures and strategies

Increasing support for the families

Recommendation 13: The incarceration of one parent often results in various forms of hardship for the rest of the family, particularly the children. Imprisonment disrupts positive, nurturing relationships between many parents—particularly mothers who are often the sole or primary caregiver—and their children. Children and their families suffer economic strain and instability when a parent is imprisoned. Family members are not guilty of anything. All agencies and services involved with the families should try to mitigate the impact on family members at all stages of the criminal justice system, ensuretheir rights are upheld, and ensure they are not discriminated against because of the actions of their family member. Supporting the families and strengthening the children’s positive family connections are necessary to ensure a healthy child development. Different forms of support are needed.

• Encourage the various agencies and services involved with the children to work towards positive family outcomes and to adopt consistent practices in the support of families and positive life outcomes for the children.
• Ensure that families understand the criminal justice process and are aware of the supports available.
• Provide information to families and ensure that the information provided is timely and accurate.
• Encourage and support parents and caregivers to explain procedures, decisions and the truth of the situation to children in an age appropriate manner.
• Ensure that families have access to information and assistance on a range of issues such as housing, benefits and finances, legal issues, health, or childcare.
• Facilitate appropriate contacts between family members and the incarcerated parent.
• Provide guidance to agencies dealing with families of parents in conflict with the law.
• Conduct family impact assessments when new policies and practices are developed that may affect the families of people in conflict with the law.
• Keep incarcerated parents informed about the situation and well-being of their children and other family members, and support them in managing family concerns as appropriate.

Practical measures and strategies

Helping parents and caregivers deal with family law and other legal issues

Recommendation 15:

• Provide timely access to legal assistance (e.g., through legal assistance phoneline, Family Law Centres, etc.).
• Provide legal information to children in an age-sensitive manner.
• Provide timely across to legal assistance (e.g., through legal assistance phoneline, Family Law Centres, etc.).
• Help parents and caregivers deal with child custody and child protection matters.
• Provide legal advocacy for the children and protect their rights in all contacts with the legal system.