On 12 September, ten Members of the European Parliament placed a Written Declaration (WD) on the protection of children with imprisoned parents before the parliament under Rule 136 of the body’s Rules of Procedure. Read the text here. The sponsoring MEPs, members of the European Parliament’s Intergroup on Children’s Rights, include Patrizia Toia (Italy), Sergio Gaetano … Read More
Year: 2016
Data collection and children affected by parental incarceration
Based on COPE’s estimates, 800,000 children have a parent in prison on any given day in the European Union, a figure that rises to 2.1 million when all Council of Europe countries are included. The total number of children affected throughout a year is likely even higher again, given that the total number of people … Read More
Database on CRC Concluding Observations on children of prisoners
The Working Group on Child of Incarcerated Parents of Child Rights Connect has launched a seminal database on Concluding Observations of the UN Committee of the Rights of the Child which specifically mention children affected by parental incarceration. Quaker United Nations Office (QUNO), a member of the Children of Prisoners Europe network, created this database which includes … Read More
COPE invited to meet with new FRA Director Michael O’Flaherty
“Europe is facing a crisis in terms of the respect of fundamental rights” New Director of the Fundamental Rights Agency of the European Union (FRA), Michael O’Flaherty’s meeting with civil society representatives in France, including the Children of Prisoners Europe network left those present motivated and hopeful, but not without a feeling of having been … Read More
Italy renews Memorandum of Understanding on children with imprisoned parents
On 6 September 2016, the Italian Minister for Justice, Andrea Orlando, has renewed his signature of COPE member Bambinisenzasbarre’s pioneering Memorandum of Understanding on children with imprisoned parents. The third signatory, Filomena Albano, Italian Ombudswoman for Childhood and Adolescence has also renewed her signature. This landmark document, a first in Europe, represents an agreement between the … Read More
Online forum: Families affected by incarceration
COPE’s Dutch partner Exodus has launched an online forum for Families affected by the incarceration of a parent. The forum provides information and allows children whose parents are in prison, and other family members, to get in touch with others experience similar situations. To access the forum, people can register on www.exodus.nl. The forum protects … Read More
Close of 7th edition of “Not my crime, still my sentence” campaign
Over the years, COPE’s campaign “Not my crime, still my sentence” has become a landmark annual event for all organisations working for the rights of children with imprisoned parents. Launched in 2010 and taken up by many supporters, the campaign is now celebrated annually in 15 countries with the aim of raising awareness about the … Read More
COPE Conference outcome report published
COPE annual conference and network meeting 2016 The outcome report for the Conference “Children with a parent in conflict with the law: What are their best interests? How can they be met?”, which took place on Friday 20 May 2016 at the Stara gradska vijećnica, Zagreb, Croatia, is now online. Click here to view or download the report. … Read More
Data collection and children with imprisoned parents
This week, COPE’s annual campaign “Not my crime, still my sentence” will be focusing on the importance of collecting data relating to children of prisoners. Included in Article 6 of the Italian Memorandum of Understanding and expressly stated as the subject of a Council of Europe Parliamentary resolution, data collection is an issue of key … Read More
Information, assistance and support for children of prisoners
This week, the focus of COPE’s campaign “Not my crime, still my sentence” is the importance of providing information, assistance and support for children of imprisoned parents. Receiving appropriate and timely information about their parent’s whereabouts and well-being is of crucial importance to a child. Lack of information may lead to confusion, anxiety and fears. … Read More