The Child Rights Connect Working Group on Children of Incarcerated Parents welcomes the UN Global Study on Children Deprived of their Liberty. We particularly welcome the Study’s detailed discussion on the rights of children living in prison with a parent, and the research which has been undertaken on this crucial subject. Laurel Townhead, Human Rights … Read More
The impact of incarceration on the child-parent relationship: European Recommendations How can a parent in prison be responsible for their child? What are some of the parenting difficulties that can occur when a child is separated from their parent in prison? How can families broach the subject of parental imprisonment with children? These, among others, … Read More
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
COPE Board member and Independent Expert Rachel Brett has recently authored a report which takes into consideration the best interests of the child in the sentencing of a parent and current international and regional standards and practice. Through this report, Best Interests of the Child when Sentencing a Parent: Some reflections on international and regional … Read More
Vienna, 11-12 April 2018 To mark the end of the initial two year working mandate of the EuroPris Family Relations Expert Group, EuroPris held a workshop on the topic on 11-12 April 2018, hosted by the Austria Federal Ministry for Constitution, Reform, Regulation and Justice. Meeting on an annual basis and collaborating in the interim, the … Read More
On 10-11 April, the second expert meeting for the UN Global Study on Children Deprived of Liberty took place in Vienna, with some fifty leading child rights and child welfare experts participating, including COPE and QUNO representatives. After a year of challenges with respect to funding and timeframe, the Study, launched in 2016 and led by … Read More
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
EuroPris (European Organisation of Prison and Correctional Services) is organising a workshop on Family Relations the 11-12 April 2018 in Vienna, highlighting the relationships between children and their imprisoned parents as well as relationships of prisoners with siblings and parents. EuroPris’ Family Relations expert group, who has recently published their Good Practice Collection, will head … Read More
Children with imprisoned parents need your support to allow their voices to be heard Following last year’s CATS conference focusing on “Reaching for an inclusive world”, the 2018 edition will be centred on the theme of “Safe Together”. Chosen to focus on the importance of collaboration between age groups in creating safe environments for … Read More
Volume 6 of the European Journal of Parental Imprisonment (EJPI) is now available! This edition of the EJPI highlights the role of schools in supporting children of prisoners. Children spend the majority of their day at school, and it is important for them to feel comfortable and safe in that environment. In many cases parental … Read More
