The Irish Penal Reform Trust (IPRT) and the Centre for Criminal Justice and Human Rights at University College Cork’s (UCC) School of Law established a network at the end of the summer with the goal of ‘[reducing] harm for children and families affected by imprisonment, with a particular focus on reducing female imprisonment’. The network acknowledges the lasting impact that parental imprisonment can have on a child and has estimated 6,500 children living in Ireland are currently experiencing this; over 10,000 children experience parental incarceration every year[1].

The project, which in addition to the network’s launch also includes research and the organisation of events, aims to address the state’s increased reliance on the prison system, and its failures to combat some of the underlying causes of crime including poverty, mental health, addiction and homelessness within communities. The project intends to transform policy and practices related to imprisonment to deal with the complex social needs of families most affected by imprisonment who primarily come from particularly disadvantaged areas in the country. In addition, there will be a major focus on women in prison. IPRT highlights that four out of ten sentenced women in prison are serving sentences of 12 months or under; there is a consensus that community-based alternatives should be opted for instead. The project will work to promote systemic change and policy reform so that a greater number of children and families will be protected from the difficulties associated with a mother’s incarceration.[2]

On 14 August 2020 the launch meeting of the network was held where experts in community-based organising, researchers, academics, advocacy groups, and individuals with experience of imprisonment came together. COPE President Rachel Brett participated in the first meeting of the new network in August, where members highlighted goals, tools and strategic approaches for advocating for policy change to benefit children impacted by parental imprisonment in Ireland.

The network has laid out a three-year plan for families of prisoners with the aims to:

  • Provide a unified voice advocating for policy change for children and families affected by imprisonment 
  • Map and share current knowledge and disseminate best practice relevant to this area
  • Support the development of academic research on this issue in order to inform evidence-based policy-making     
  • Help identify gaps and support key actions for change for children and families affected by imprisonment 

IPRT member Michelle Martyn outlined the organisation’s goals, opportunities for improvement, and ways to influence strategic policy change for this project building on existing work “such as IPRT’s Picking Up the Pieces report and a previous collaboration between IPRT and UCC, Principles of Action for Children with a Parent in Prison”. The organisation receives funding from the Katharine Howard Foundation and St Stephen’s Green Trust. You can read more about the new network on the Irish Penal Reform Trust website, as well as watch Rachel Brett’s presentation on the advantages of network organisation and COPE’s role as a strategic partner in joint international advocacy.

[1] https://www.iprt.ie/latest-news/new-project-iprt-children-and-families-initiative/

[2] https://www.iprt.ie/latest-news/new-project-iprt-children-and-families-initiative/