CountryAge Limit
Austria3 years old
Belgium3 years old
Bulgaria1 year old
Croatia3 years old
Cyprus2 years old
Czech Republic3 years old
Denmark3 years old
Estonia3 years old
Finland3 years old
FranceNo fixed age limit in French legislation (but in practice, the majority have less than 1 year old)
Germany3/6 years old
Greece3 years old
Hungary1 year old
Ireland1 year old*
ItalyUp to 3 years old in prison
Up to 6 years old in ICAM (Istituto a Custodia Attenuata per Madri detenute)
Up to 10 years old in sheltered family houses*
Latvia4 years old*
Lithuania3 years old
LuxembourgNo fixed age limit in Luxembourgish legislation.
Malta1 year old*
Netherlands4 years old
NorwayChildren are not allowed to live with their parent in penal institutions
Poland3 years old
Portugal5 years old
Romania2 years old
SlovakiaChildren are not allowed to live with their parent in penal institutions
Slovenia2 years old
Spain3 years old
SwedenBased on an individual evaluation
Switzerland3 years old
UK: England and Wales18 months
UK: Northern IrelandChildren are not allowed to live with their imprisoned parent in penal institutions
UK: ScotlandChildren are not allowed to live with their imprisoned parent in penal institutions

Source: Aebi, M. F., Cocco, E., Molnar, L. & Tiago, M. M., (2022). SPACE I – 2021 – Council of Europe Annual Penal Statistics: Prison populations. Strasbourg: Council of Europe, Table 2.3.

*Ireland, age limit for children living in prisons: retrieved from Citizens Information (https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/).
*Italy, age limit for children living in prisons: retrieved from Antigone, 2019 (“Donne, non solo numeri. Uno sguardo qualitativo sulla detenzione femminile”, XV rapporto sulle condizioni di detenzione).
*Latvia, age limit for children living in prisons: retrieved from COE SPACE I 2020.
*Malta, age limit for children living in prisons: retrieved from COE SPACE I 2020.