Eurochips is the European Network for children of imprisoned parents.
One out of every 100 children within the European Union has a parent in prison. Yet few people are fully aware of the impact that the imprisonment of a parent may have on a child's development.
Latest News
European Union -
18th October 2012
6 November COPING Conference
The Eurochips staff have been preparing for the upcoming conference Coping with a Parent in Prison: An Agenda for Policy reform to take place on 6 November in Brussels.
Read more about 6 November COPING Conference... European Union -
19th June 2012
EUROCHIPS' new full members
EUROCHIPS welcomes four new full members into the network—Carrefour Prison of Switzerland, NIACRO of Northern Ireland, Families Outside of Scotland and the Children’s Ombudsman’s Office of Croatia. All of the organisations have been doing pioneer work on behalf of children with imprisoned parents.
Read more about EUROCHIPS' new full members...
Sweden -
19th June 2012
Joint World Conference
From July 8 to July 12, EUROCHIPS member Bryggan will attend the Joint World Conference held by the Social Work and Social Development Communities 2012 in Stockholm.
Read more about Joint World Conference...
Ireland -
19th June 2012
IPRT researches prisoners' families
The Irish Penal Reform Trust (IPRT) is currently undertaking research on prisoners’ families in Ireland.
Read more about IPRT researches prisoners' families...
Netherlands -
19th June 2012
Dutch website launched and film released focusing on prisoners' children
New technological advancements in the Netherlands have resulted in the creation of a new website targeting prisoners’ children.
Read more about Dutch website launched and film released focusing on prisoners' children...
France -
19th June 2012
Relais-Enfants Parents launches prison father-child lunch Wednesdays
EUROCHIPS' member Relais Enfants-Parents and the Department of Melun’s Centre of Detention in southeastern Paris are launching a new initiative to allow incarcerated fathers to have lunch with their children one Wednesday every month starting in June.
Read more about Relais-Enfants Parents launches prison father-child lunch Wednesdays...
Switzerland -
19th June 2012
EUROCHIPS attends Children and the Administration of Justice event at the UN
On Friday, March 9th at United Nations Headquarters in Geneva, EUROCHIPS attended a conference examining the global condition of children with imprisoned parents.
Read more about EUROCHIPS attends Children and the Administration of Justice event at the UN... Switzerland -
19th June 2012
EUROCHIPS Annual Network Meeting hosted by Carrefour Prison
From May 11 to 13, Carrefour Prison hosted EUROCHIPS’ Annual Network Meeting (ANM), a three-day event held in Geneva.
Read more about EUROCHIPS Annual Network Meeting hosted by Carrefour Prison...
Germany -
19th June 2012
Treffpunkt e.V. releases film focusing on children with imprisoned parents
The German association Treffpunkt e.V. has produced a short film (subtitled in English) dealing with children of prisoners: the movie relates the story of two girls who have a parent in prison.
Read more about Treffpunkt e.V. releases film focusing on children with imprisoned parents...
Belgium -
19th June 2012
Belgian Red Cross Network focusing on children with imprisoned parents
The Belgian Red Cross network “Itinérances,” which has been supported by the Houtman Funds (ONE) since 2003, accompanies children with incarcerated parents on prison-visits in the Walloon area of Belgium and Brussels. The network has grown considerably since its creation. In 2011, 202 volunteers accompanied 249 children as part of nearly 1,500 visits. These initiatives allow children to maintain a relation with their imprisoned parent.
Read more about Belgian Red Cross Network focusing on children with imprisoned parents... European Union -
6th December 2011
European Commission Green Paper
The European Commission sent out a call for submissions this year for their Green Paper on the application of EU criminal justice legislation in the field of detention.
Read more about European Commission Green Paper... European Union -
22nd November 2011
UN Special Day of General Discussion for children with imprisoned parents
The UN Special Day of General Discussion on Children with Imprisoned Parents, held in Geneva on 30 September, was a landmark event, representing the first time that the issue of children with imprisoned parents (ChIPS) has been discussed substantively in a United Nations forum.
Read more about the event Germany -
22nd November 2011
German government launches query into children with imprisoned parents
With the ratification of the United Nation’s Convention on Children’s Rights, the German government committed itself to respecting the rights of the child separated from one or both parents by making contact to both parents possible, provided this does not interfere with the best interest of the child. Accordingly, compliance with children’s rights during the different stages of arrest, conviction of the parent and visits to the detention centre is of utmost importance.
Read more about the German findings
Norway -
8th November 2011
Establishing child ambassadors
Thanks to the joint efforts of Norwegian politicians, the ministry of Justice and The Organisation for Families and Friends of Prisoners (FFP), each Norwegian prison is likely to be assigned a child ambassador to represent the needs of this vulnerable group of children.
Read more about the child ambassadors
Czech Republic -
8th November 2011
"When Daddy Is Behind Bars" documentary broadcasts in the Czech Republic
Eurochips partner Czech Helsinki Committee (CHC), in cooperation with Czech Television, has produced a documentary entitled "When Daddy Is Behind Bars".
Read more about the documentary Switzerland -
7th November 2011
Swiss Society of Forensic Psychology event
Carrefour Prison, a Eurochips member based out of Geneva, recently participated in an event held by the Swiss Society of Forensic Psychology with much success.
Read more about the event in Switzerland European Union -
19th January 2009
International justice for children
Children's rights have gained greater global visibility through the almost universal ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Treaty bodies for other international and regional instruments, which cover the rights of "everyone", including children, are giving increasing attention to children's rights.
Read more about International justice for children...
United Nations -
1st January 2009
QUNO, EUROCHIPS and BICE Present Report to CRC
The Quaker UN Office Geneva (QUNO), joined by the EUROCHIPS network and the International Catholic Child Bureau (BICE), submitted a report on children with imprisoned parents this month to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, requesting that it consider dedicating a future Day of General Discussion on the subject
Read more about the QUNO, EUROCHIPS and BICE Report... Ireland -
2nd April 2010
Effects of parental imprisonment on children
The Centre for Social and Educational Research, DIT, was commissioned by the Management Committee of the Visitors’ Centre in the Mountjoy Prison Complex to carry out research into the effects of parental imprisonment on children
Read more about Effects of parental imprisonment on children... Ireland -
20th November 2009
Research on Imprisonment and Family Ties
The Limerick-based Bedford Row Family Project has launched "Voices of Families Affected by Imprisonment," a research report carried out by Kelleher Associates that focuses on the needs of families attending the project.
Read more about Research on Imprisonment and Family Ties... Norway -
September 2009
Effects of parental imprisonment
The number of children with parents in prison is increasing in many countries worldwide. Theory and qualitative research suggest that parental imprisonment might contribute to child antisocial behaviour and mental health problems, because of the trauma of separation, strained child-care arrangements during parental imprisonment, loss of family income, other stressful life events such as moving home and school, and the stigma of parental imprisonment.
Read more about Effects of parental imprisonment...
United Kingdom -
18th July 2012
'My COPING' website launched
Spring 2012 - The “My Coping” web pages, developed by the Huddersfield University Learning Technology team as part of the 7th Framework COPING Research Project, have been launched.
Read more about 'My COPING' website launched... United Kingdom -
18th July 2012
University of Huddersfield hosts 'School Information Day'
The University of Huddersfield held an innovative day-long ‘Schools Information Day: Children of Prisoners’ on April 27th.
Read more about University of Huddersfield hosts 'School Information Day'... Germany -
18th July 2012
Public event in Dresden helps raise awareness for children with imprisoned parents
May 2012 - COPING partners TUD and Treffpunkt e.V. prepared the public event “Wenn Papa im Gefängnis sitzt - Hilfebedarf und Hilfen für die Kinder von Inhaftierten” (“If daddy is in prison - needs and support for the children of prisoners”), which took place prior to a project consortium meeting in Dresden.
Read more about Public event in Dresden helps raise awareness for children with imprisoned parents... Belgium -
18th July 2012
COPING end of project conference to be held in Brussels
COPING partners have spent the past six months gearing up for the end-of-project conference, Coping With a Parent in Prison: An Agenda for Policy Reform, to be held 6 November 2012 in Brussels to showcase research findings.
Read more about COPING end of project conference to be held in Brussels... European Union -
18th July 2012
COPING project expected results & findings
The COPING project research is entering its final stage, so comment upon the impacts of it at this point is still premature. However, throughout the four nations in which the research is conducted, five main themes have been emerging from the in-depth child-centred interviews. These themes were highlighted last October and all of them have strengthened as the data continues to be processed.
Read more about COPING project expected results & findings... European Union -
14th October 2011
Recent Developments for the COPING Research Project
COPING is a child-centred research project which aims to investigate the characteristics of children with imprisoned parents, their resilience, and their vulnerability to mental health problems.
Read more about recent developments European Union -
13th October 2011
Emerging Findings of the COPING Research Project
The COPING project research is still at a relatively early stage, so comment upon the impacts of it at this point is premature. However, throughout the four nations in which the research is conducted, five main themes are beginning to emerge from the in-depth child-centred interviews.
Read more about emerging findings Switzerland -
12th October 2011
Committee on the Rights of the Child UN Day of General Discussion
The Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) focused the annual UN Day of General Discussion (DGD) this September on children with imprisoned parents. Representatives from the COPING project were in attendance amongst the various NGOs and European networks present. In addition, children from the COPING project were invited to attend and speak on their experiences.
Read more about the event European Union -
10th October 2011
Mapping of Services for children with imprisoned parents
Since the launch of the COPING project, one of the research teams has been patiently mapping the available services for children with imprisoned parents throughout Europe. Great progress has been made on this front, and the team is excited to be constructing a database of services available in the various nations.
Read more about mapping European Union -
8th October 2011
COPING Communication & Publication Strategy
The COPING project has many objectives, one of which being the production of several publications based on the research findings. At this stage in the project, the Communication and Publication Strategy is being put into action and the first publications emerging from the COPING project are being released.
Read more about the publication strategy
