In connection with the COPE-Exodus conference, EuroPris’ expert group on children with imprisoned parents hosted a workshop on 11 November. Penitentiary service representatives and prison directors from Italy, Hungary, Ireland, Cyprus, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Czech Republic, Catalonia, Scotland, Slovakia and Sweden participated, along with COPE members and staff. EuroPris expert group members showcased recent tools and reports they’ve developed, including one on the implementation of Council of Europe Recommendation CM/Rec(2018)5 concerning children with imprisoned parents. The workshop highlighted that while data collection is important to gain a better understanding of who and where children are, it is only a snapshot and that children continue to be impacted by their parent’s imprisonment after the parent is released from prison. Paying attention to how we share data is key, to avoid stigmatising children further. Expert group members shared their ongoing work to implement the COE Recommendation, including a national scale Protocol on Children with Imprisoned Parents launched in Germany, with justice ministers from each Land reaching to their peers in social affairs and youth ministries in an effort to promote cross-agency, cross-sectoral support for children and their parents in prison. Find more information and the presentations from the workshop here.
