Children of prisoners: arrest
What is the video about?
This video shows how children are affected when a parent or adult family member is arrested. The video shows the impact of an arrest, especially when it happens at home. Families talk from their own experience about the traumatic and sometimes lasting effect on children. The video helps social care staff to consider what they could do to support children, their parents and families.
Messages for practice
- Child’s trauma and distress may be overlooked whereas children need explanations and acknowledgement of the trauma associated with arrest.
- Remaining parent may have to manage distress alone.
- Distress may be severe and be expressed in a number of ways: withdrawal, bedwetting, behavioural problems at home or school.
- Police protocols and school responses should be mindful of children’s needs.
- This is a ‘hidden’ practice topic with little direct policy driving attention to it. However, Every Child Matters and Think Family policy criteria support a focus on children’s needs by all professionals.
Who will find this useful?
Social workers, probation officers, family support workers, parents, teachers.