CJA Blog > Policies That Support the Children of Incarcerated Parents Bill of Rights (Part 2)

Policies That Support the Children of Incarcerated Parents Bill of Rights (Part 2)

November 20, 2009
by CJA Admin

In our last entry we looked at policies to support the first four rights of children of incarcerated parents. The following, excerpted from Children of Incarcerated Parents: A Bill of Rights, look at the final four rights

  1. I have the right to speak with, see and touch my parent.
    • Provide access to prison visiting facilities that are child-centered, non-intimidating and conducive to bonding.
    • Consider proximity to family members when assigning prisoners to a particular facility, and when making foster care placements for children of prisoners.
      Encourage social services departments to facilitate telephone and in-person contact between children in their care and incarcerated parents.
  2. I have the right to support as I struggle with my parent’s incarceration.
    • Train staff at institutions whose constituency includes children of incarcerated parents—schools, foster care agencies, juvenile detentions centers, child care programs—to recognize and address these children’s needs and concerns.
    • Provide access to therapists, counselors and/or mentors who are trained to address the unique needs of children of incarcerated parents.
  3. I have the right not to be judged, blamed or labeled because of my parent’s incarceration.
    • Create opportunities for children of incarcerated parents to communicate with and support each other.
    • Offer an ear, and respect or privacy.
    • Create a truth fit to tell. Give children hope by providing their parents with programs to help them rebuild their lives.
  4. I have the right to a lifelong relationship with my parent.
    • Re-examine the Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA) as it applies to incarcerated parents to ensure that viable families are not dissolved because of rigid timelines for termination of parental rights.
    • Designate a family services coordinator at prison and jail facilities whose role it I to facilitate family contact and support reunification.

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