SCIE Resource guide 11: Children of prisoners - maintaining family ties

Literature review - conclusion

This review is not exhaustive and most of the research addresses very small numbers of children and their families. This in itself raises issues about the conclusions that can be drawn. However, what is clear is that there is a particularly vulnerable group of children with increased risk of poor outcomes in accordance with Every Child Matters, and with no national perspective about what should be done to support them.

In England and Wales, most support relies upon the determination of the voluntary sector to provide a service across various parts of the country. Nevertheless, there are many areas that do not have any provision and so children are falling through the net. In the areas that are served by the voluntary sector, there is some evidence of the positive impact of supporting children who are affected and in Northern Ireland and Scotland services have progressed to reflect the need.