Nursery World - EYFS Best Practice: An essential guide to ... Prisoner families

Children with parents in prison have a unique set of challenges to
contend with, but the right sort of help targeted at prisoner families
can have a positive impact on their futures. Ruth Stokes looks at some
of the difficulties families face and what is being done to combat
them.

Parental imprisonment can have a significant and long-lasting impact on a child - and the number of children affected is considerable. There are no definitive, up-to-date figures, but a report titled An Unfair Sentence, published in January by the NSPCC and Barnardo's, suggests that about 200,000 children in England and Wales have a parent in prison at some point during a single year (based on 2009 statistics). In Scotland, the estimate is between 20,000 and 27,000 (2012). In Northern Ireland, about 1,500 are affected on any given day (2010).

Children with parents in prison have at least double the risk of mental health problems compared to their peers, and three times the risk of antisocial or delinquent behaviour. 'Parental imprisonment can impact on a child's behaviour and development,' explains Lesley Dixon, practice development manager at Action for Prisoners' and Offenders' Families. 'Many families' lives become dominated by the effect of imprisonment and they have to live with the consequences. Stigma, shame, guilt, isolation and financial, social and psychological problems are just some of the issues faced by all involved at different stages. The family might lose their home, and have to move from the community they know and which offers them support.'

Register now to continue reading

Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:

What's included