Nearly one million children in the European Union have a parent in prison. In addition to being separated from their parent, these children frequently experience trauma linked to the stigma and discrimination of having a parent in prison and violation of their rights. In Bulgaria, an estimated 12,500 children have a father in prison. Children of Prisoners Europe … Read More
child rights
Adoption of Council of Europe Recommendation on children with imprisoned parents
Throughout 2017, COPE worked closely with the Council of Europe’s Council for Penological Co-operation (PC-CP) to draft a Recommendation and Explanatory Memorandum on children with imprisoned parents. We are very pleased to announce that the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe has adopted this Recommendation and issued it to its 47 Member States … Read More
Papa Plus: supporting the child-parent relationship in Bulgaria
In the European Union, some 800,000 children are separated from a parent in prison. The pan-European network Children of Prisoners Europe (COPE) has been working with the Fédération des Relais Enfants Parents (FREP) for 20 years to support initiatives across Europe that focus on preserving and strengthening bonds between children and their parent in prison, … Read More
CATS conference in Switzerland a positive experience for COPE delegation
For the first time, COPE was able to send a small delegation of children impacted by parental imprisonment to the Children as Actors for Transforming Society (CATS) Global Forum, in Caux, Switzerland. The week-long Forum’s theme of “Reaching for an inclusive world” offered children a “platform that inspires others to share their difficulties, to tackle … Read More
Upcoming European Forum on the Rights of the Child: deprivation of liberty of children
Save the date! The 11th European Forum on the Rights of the Child will take place on 7-8 November 2017 in Brussels. In the context of the forthcoming UN global study on children deprived of liberty, the Forum will focus on the deprivation of liberty of children (children in conflict with the law, immigration detention, … Read More
EU Agency for Fundamental Rights publishes report on immigration detention of children
The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) has recently published a report entitled “European legal and policy framework on immigration detention of children”. The deprivation of liberty of children remains a major fundamental rights challenge in the EU, and this report considers children’s rights to protection and care, and the principle of the best … Read More
COPE accepted as a member of Child Rights Connect
Child Rights Connect held their annual General Assembly 9-10 May. Along with 7 other organisations, COPE was accepted as a new member of the network. COPE has worked with Child Rights Connect (CRC) for the past three years as part of the Working Group on Children of Incarcerated Parents. Among other activities the “The Rights of … Read More
Second Family Relations Expert Meeting organised by EuroPris in Finland
On 6-7 April 2017, in Helsinki, Finland, EuroPris organised the second Family Relations expert meeting. Lucy Gampell and Madelein Kattel, COPE Board members, were present at the meeting, which was a follow-up to the first meeting held in Zagreb, 18-19 May 2016. The Family Relations expert group comprises 11 experts from European National Agencies (Czech … Read More
Social work and social rehabilitation in the Polish penitentiary system
From 3-8 April 2017 the Jagiellonian University organised their third Social Labor Seminar in Cracow as part of the framework of the Polish Social Work Week PSSPS, targeting students and professionals. The theme on day four concerned the penitentiary system in Poland, addressing questions such as: “Is there a place in the Polish penitentiary system … Read More
Children of prisoners briefing to States at United Nations, Geneva
As part of the Child Rights Connect working group on children of incarcerated parents, Children of Prisoners Europe (COPE) co-organised and participated in an international briefing for Member States at the UN in Geneva on 1 February 2017. This event took place during the 74th session of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child … Read More