Children of prisoners - maintaining family ties
Literature review - overview
This overview does not cover every aspect of literature available. For example it does not deal specifically with issues facing young offenders. It is designed to offer a general overview of the topic, and to highlight the main issues.
Firstly, the research on the effects of parental imprisonment on children is explored. This is followed by a review of literature from the UK, North America, Australasia and Europe that focuses upon:
- the lack of and gaps in provision for children affected by parental imprisonment
- the need for a more central and systematic response from government and organisations with responsibility in this field
- examples of interventions and models that have been used in working with children and families of prisoners.
Overview sections
- The effects of parental imprisonment on children
- Parental imprisonment as a risk factor for adverse child outcomes
- Does parental imprisonment have a causal effect on children?
- Theories about the effects of parental imprisonment on children
- Parent–child separation
- Economic strain
- Strained parenting
- Stigma
- Different effects of parental imprisonment on different children
- Provision for children affected by parental imprisonment
- The voluntary sector
- Women
- Black and minority ethnic families