John Merralls, Ormiston Families Assistant Director, Criminal Justice and Families, says a new government pilot should help children with a parent in prison get support sooner.
The Government’s announcement of a new pilot to identify and support children with a parent in prison is a welcome step towards recognising one of society’s most overlooked groups of children.
Around 193,000 children in England and Wales experience parental imprisonment each year. Yet for too long, many have remained invisible to the systems designed to help them. The consequences can be significant, affecting children’s emotional wellbeing, education, relationships and future opportunities through no fault of their own.
At Ormiston Families, we see these challenges every day through our Breaking Barriers service, which supports children and young people across Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire who have a parent or close family member in prison.
Behind every statistic is a child trying to make sense of complex emotions, cope with stigma and maintain some sense of normality. Many are anxious about prison visits, worried about their family’s future or struggling to concentrate at school. Often, they simply need someone they can trust to listen without judgement.
Our specialist practitioners provide tailored one-to-one support, giving children a safe space to talk, play and express themselves while helping them develop the resilience and coping strategies they need. Last year we worked with 152 children, helping them better manage the emotional impact of imprisonment and improving their wellbeing both at home and in school.
The earlier this support is available, the greater the difference it can make.
That is why we strongly support efforts to identify children sooner and connect them with the help they need before problems escalate. Early intervention is not only better for children and families; it is also a more effective use of public resources. Research has consistently shown that responding early can reduce the need for far more intensive and costly interventions later in a child’s life.
A good start
The proposed pilot has the potential to ensure fewer children fall through the gaps between public services. However, identification is only the beginning. Once children are recognised, they need access to trusted, specialist support that understands the unique challenges they face and works alongside families in a compassionate, non-judgemental way.
Charities have an important role to play in that support. We are proud members of the Clinks Families Network – a group of charities that have been advocating for this pilot – and we are delighted that by sharing our experience and expertise with the group we could play a part in shifting government thinking. It is only through the dedicated work of groups like Clinks that these changes happen and ultimately, children get the support they need.
No child chooses to have a parent in prison, and no child should carry the weight of that experience alone. By identifying these children earlier and ensuring they receive timely, specialist support, we have an opportunity to improve lives, strengthen families and help break cycles of disadvantage for future generations.
We look forward to seeing this pilot develop and to continuing to work alongside partners across the East of England to ensure every child affected by imprisonment has the opportunity to feel safe, supported and hopeful about their future.
Dylan’s Story
“About a year ago I woke up to the sound of banging on the front door. It was pitch black outside and the loud noise frightened me. The door was broken down and I heard lots of shouting downstairs. It was the Police. They had come to arrest my Dad but I didn’t know what he had done wrong…”
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