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Eurochips changes name The European Committee for Children of Imprisoned Parents (Eurochips) (www.eurochips.org) has officially changed its name to the European Network for Children of Imprisoned Parents. The name change reflects Eurochips’ evolution from a smaller-scale action-research committee exploring initiatives in Europe that promote family ties to a full-fledged support network that is expanding into additional countries, in Europe and beyond. GERMANY Treffpunkt Nuremberg joins Eurochips Eurochips warmly welcomes its newest member—Treffpunkt Nuremberg e.V (http://www.treffpunkt-nbg.de/www), a Bavarian-based association founded in 1991 with the aim of helping relatives of prisoners. The association, which has a staff of 16, offers consultation services for prisoners’ relatives and Germany’s only nationwide hotline service. With 95 percent of Bavaria’s prison population being male, a special Father-Child group was added in 2004, comprising eight afternoon group sessions for fathers and children; four “reflection” afternoons for fathers; pre- and post-group discussions with both parents; and individual discussion sessions with the mothers. Each group meeting is broken down into two parts: the first part revolves around educational themes like “feelings,” “ time,” or “arguing”; the second part involves a combination of playtime, handicrafts activities and games. Approximately 120 children participated in the services in 2006. Treffpunkt Nuremberg further offers discussion groups for partners and parents of prisoners as well as for women whose boyfriends/husbands have been released from prison. Known for its longstanding expertise, Treffpunkt Nuremberg e.V works closely with the Ministry of Justice in Bavaria and is involved in several regional and federal work groups. In addition to consultation services with prisoners’ relatives and father-child group work, it also runs an employment center for community work, a coordination center for work sentences by the juvenile court, a mediation service for delinquents and victims, and a social training course for juvenile delinquents. Most recently, Treffpunkt Nuremberg obtained financing for a pilot project called “Tanke” to organize recreational activities for youth groups of approximately six to eight prisoners’ children aged 12 to 17. Weekly afternoon group sessions featuring fun activities are organized in a meeting room on their premises. For additional information: contact Ms Brendle, bai@treffpunkt-nbg.de FRANCE FREP organizes Journées Nationales 2007 Fédération des Relais Enfants Parents (FREP, http://www.frep.fr/) organizes conferences every two years to bring together its partners in France, Belgium and Luxembourg and foster exchanges of ideas and practice among all participants. The 2007 conference, with some one hundred particpants, was held in Auxerre, Burgundy on November 23-25, and included theoretical talks, formal and informal professional exchanges and even wine-tastings and a tour of Vézélay Abbey. Child-related issues were the central focus of the three-day conference, and it was emphasized that a thorough understanding of family dynamics is prerequisite to working with prisoners’ children. Practitioners working with children should ask themselves basic questions on a continual basis—how far should we go in maintaining ties ? are there limits to maintaining the bond ? at which stage does a child require support, etc. Speakers included FREP director Alain Bouregba, and child psychiatrist Emmanuel Sautereau. Evaluative research of initiatives on family ties in Belgium, carried out by the Criminology and Penal Law Department at UCL and the Association pour une Fondation Travail-Université ASBL with the backing of the Fonds Houtman (ONE, http://www.one.be/houtman/) was presented. Highlights included Bouregba’s underscoring that the Council of Europe’s revised prison rules stipulate that certain basic standards for family visits facilities in prison be met, and provide a vehicle for evaluating the various practices in various EU countries. He cautioned that it is important for prison administrations not to instrumentalize families and family ties in effecting change. There was also a request to develop more in-depth guidelines among FREP member associations for initiatives and action. Marie-Jeanne Schmitt of Treffpunkt (Luxembourg), a Eurochips member, spoke about the network and upcoming events, including the launch of Perspectives européennes : Enfants de Parents Détenus—Guide de bonnes pratiques, which will coincide with the opening of an exhibition of children’s artwork on prison and family ties, in Paris, on March 20, 2008. ITALY Bambinisenzasbarre holds seminar on parenting and prison Eurochips member Bambinisenzasbarre (http://www.bambinisenzasbarre.org/) held a seminar in Milan on Parenting and Prison October 26, in tandem with CBM, a family crisis center for abused children. Some 70 people from sectors working with minors with imprisoned parents particpated, including prison governors, prison administration staff members, social workers, psychologists and training supervisors from many different region of Italy. Psychoanalyst Alain Bouregba, vice president of Eurochips and director of the Fédération des Relais Enfants Parents in France, developed the following themes: 1) Parenting during imprisonment: the mother-father-child triad; separation, traumatic separation and distance; children coping with an imprisoned parent. 2) Difficulties in parenting and the impact on child development 3) The role of practitioners: how to support the child and imprisoned parent. Bouregba underscored that support for children with imprisoned parents is a public health issue, and child psychiatrists, psychologists, and practioners have the obligation to bring the issue to the attention of public authorities. He maintained that the issue of children separated from imprisoned parents requires indepth awareness-raising, and for the most part remains peripheral. NORWAY New developments • Children’s Ombudsman launching Expert Groups The Children’s Ombudsman (http://www.barneombudet.no/english/) is setting up expert groups to learn more about the situation of children with imprisoned parents and on the situation of children whose parents are being deported from Norway after serving a prison sentence. The members of the expert groups will be children and youth with experiences from being in this situation! Eurochips member FFP is now working on recruiting children to this group, and we will support the children, who take part in the group. The group will give advice to the authorities on how to improve the conditions for children. • New local department of FFP (Organization for Relatives and Friends of Prisoners) FFP (http://www.ffp.no/) has established a new branch in Vestfold, south of Norway, run by a counselor working three days a week who gives advice and support to relatives and friends of prisoners. She is also staffing a meeting place. FFP plans to offer activities to children and young people. The counsellor communicates regularly with every prison in the region (Norway has many small prisons). FFP also has a local branch in Rogaland, in southwest Norway and will be opening an additional office in Trondheim, in Sør-Trøndelag in central Norway in January 2008 • A million to prisoners’ children In June FFP received 1 million Norwegian crones (€130 000) from the Ministry of Justice for its work for children and young people with an imprisoned family member. This was in addition to funding FFP already receives from the Ministry of Justice. FFP is further developing its expertise as a resource center and establishing a separate website for FFP Youth. The association is also working on information material about prisoners’ children. • Improvement of welfare rights for prisoners’ families When a parent goes to prison, the financial situation of the family is usually negatively impacted. Effective July 1, 2007, the remaining parent is now eligible for benefits as a single parent, as part of the Barnetrygdloven (Child Benefit Act). FFP has been working for years to achieve this crucial improvement, and is continuing to lobby for the rights of single parents as part of the Folketrygdloven (National Insurance Act). • FFP survey: Health and quality of life of the relatives and friends of prisoners In August FFP launched the results of a survey on health and quality of life of the relatives and friends of prisoners at a major conference organized by FFP’s local office in Rogaland. Norway’s Minister of Justice, Knut Storberge, (http://www.regjeringen.no/en/dep/jd.html?id=463 was present at the event. The survey reveals that 48 percent of relatives and friends of prisoners within the sample studied feel that their health has worsened following the imprisonment of a relative or friend; and that 44 percent of children with imprisoned parents within the sample studied were experiencing have got increased health problems. • Reports to the Storting (Norwegian Parliament) on the Correctional Service Norway’s justice ministry is currently working on a report to the Storting (http://www.stortinget.no/english/index.html) in the Correctional Service (http://www.kriminalomsorgen.no/index.php?id=432819) The drafting of the report is being carried out using a very open, democratic process, given that the public has been invited to participate. FFP has been asked to contribute through giving lectures and papers to the working groups within the justice ministry. FFP also organized a meeting between a justice ministry representative and relatives and friends of prisoners. UNITED KINGDOM APF launches “Agenda for Action” Eurochips member Action for Prisoners’ Families (APF, http://www.prisonersfamilies.org.uk/) has joined forces with CLINKS (http://www.clinks.org), Prison Advice & Care Trust (http://www.prisonadvice.org.uk/); and the Prison Reform Trust (http://www.prisonreformtrust.org.uk/) to unveil a joint “Agenda for Action” in the UK Parliament, underscoring that every year in the UK more children are separated from a parent by prison—an estimated 160,000 this year—than by divorce and that the government is failing in its duty of care for them. The alliance is calling on the government to reduce re-offending by providing more support for prisoners’ children and families; studies, including UK government research, have shown a correlation between maintaining family contact and dramatically reduced re-offending rates. The alliance highlighted the fact that there is no statutory body with clear responsibility for supporting prisoners’ children in the UK and underscored the need: · To collect and systematize reliable information on prisoners’ children to impact policymaking; · To provide support services and family contact workers in all prisons; · To ensure that family and visitors’ centers exist outside every prison; · To radically improve the prison visits booking system. They warn that the number of children affected by an imprisoned parent annually in the UK could reach 200,000 within five years if current trends continue, and urged that action be taken now. “Prisoners’ families hold the key to reducing re-offending,” says Lucy Gampell, APF director, who launched the Agenda for Action. “However, until the Government recognizes that they need help, support and improved visiting arrangements if they are to maintain meaningful relationships with the prisoner, we will continue to fail them and society.” Particular attention needs to be drawn to the support of prisoners’ children, to safeguard their future development. “Prisoners’ children are the innocent hidden victims of crime, and are far more vulnerable than other children to becoming involved in crime in later life,” said Andy Keen-Downs, director of the Prison Advice & Care Trust, who underscored the state’s obligation to the children of those it jails. “Our campaign is based on the premise that when the state locks up a child’s parent, it has a duty of care to the child.” Download the Agenda for Action at www.prisonersfamilies.org.uk (News & Events section). For further information: info@actionpf.org.uk “Families under stress ...children at risk” Conference 2008 Partners of Prisoners and Families Support Group (POPS, http://www.partnersofprisoners.org.uk/ and Barnardo’s (http://www.barnardos.org.uk/) are organizing a conference entitled “Families under stress... children at risk” to be held in Manchester on April 17, 2008. Featured speakers at the event include Right Hon David Hanson MP, Minister of State for the Ministry of Justice ; and Martin Narey, Chief Executive of Barnardo’s. The day-long conference, which includes a series of workshops on prison and family ties, aims to raise awareness of the impact of a parent’s imprisonment on children and families; explore transgenerational risks of parental incarceration; promote partnerships between various agencies ; share examples of good practice ; and launch POPS’ Family Link Worker and Family Focused Visits Good Practice Guides. The conference has been designed to promote issues relevant to prisoners’ children and families to a wider sector, including health, education and children services. For additional information : www.partnersofprisoners.org.uk/events AROUND THE WORLD CHINA Some 600,000 children are affected by the imprisonment of a parent in China, according to an estimate carried out by the Ministry of Justice Crime Prevention Institute and made public on July 4, 2007. Only a small fraction of 270 children, ranging from age 1-17 find a new home in one of the 2 “villages” in Xian and Beijing. The villages are a special care and rescue center for children whose parents have been arrested and serve a term in prison and have no alternative caretakers. Ms. Zhang Zhujing, the founder and director of the villages, is a former police officer, and thus has firsthand experience of the trauma some of these children endure. She knows about the importance of re-creating a family atmosphere– essential not only for the children’s future but also for the comfort and mindset of the parents. The villages are an important preventive measure, helping children surmount the prejudice, stigma, lack of income and other difficulties and keeping them from a life in the streets, with its social problems and risks. The children study at nearby schools. There are organic farms for gardening and children are taught basic skills. The older children (over 12) are responsible for the younger ones, washing their clothes and playing with them, for example. They receive 50 RMB per month as an allowance, 20 RMB goes to the younger children they tend to. The children are granted 1 hour per month to visit their parent in prison. For some like 15-year-old Luo Jiao, this involves a 31-hour trip to the prison of Mianyang in Sichuan, where her father is incarcerated. Her mother is deceased. The children leave the village when their parents are released from prison. For those parents in need of extra help, the children are kept a little longer at the village until their parents are resettled. The villages are currently approaching an external organization, Magic Hospital (www.magichospital.org) to assist in setting up counseling services for the children and to help organize and train university students. The number of pre-trial detainees is not known but has been estimated at about 100,000. If accurate, China’s total prison population is approximately 2,500,000. For more information please contact claudia.vogg@eurochips.org NEW PUBLICATIONS Working with Children and Families of Prisoners: a new guide published by Ormiston Children and Families Trust (http://www.ormiston.org) aimed at teachers and other professionals working with children who may have a parent or relative in prison. The first section explores imprisonment’s impact and the practical and emotional challenges that children and families can face. Part two focuses on how children and their families can best be supported within education settings. Part three gives practical ideas for teachers and others through school policies, staff development and teaching and learning opportunities. The last section is a comprehensive directory of resources and sources of support. Copies of the book are free for a limited period (a charge will be made for postage and packing, invoiced with order). Order by email: send name, organization address and the number of copies required to: enquiries@ormiston.org. Order by phone: +44 (0)1473 724517. For further information: www.ormiston.org CALL FOR PAPERS: Participation The journal Child Care in Practice (http://www.childcareinpractice.org) is interested in publishing papers on the issue of “participation.” Children and young people have been identified as a priority area for the new Assembly in Northern Ireland, and participation is also a theme in the 10-year Strategy for Children and Young People (OFMDFM). However, the support that skilled child and youth practitioners provide to children and young people is key to their participation. Child Care in Practice is seeking to keep participation on the agenda by publishing papers on this issue in upcoming editions of the journal. They are particularly interested in creative and age/developmentally-appropriate methods to support children and young people to participate in the development of decisions affecting them. They are also looking for case studies about rights-based approaches, work with marginalized children and young people, and whether and how children’s and young people’s views affected the development of high-level policies and services. Practitioners, policymakers, researchers and academics are invited to submit articles for consideration for publication in the journal. A special invitation is extended to children and young people to submit papers on their opinions/experiences of participation. Guidelines available at http://www.childcareinpractice.org/submit.htm For additional information, contact assistant editor Áine McGinnity at +44 (0)28 90975912; email: childcareinpractice@qub.ac.uk “Women in Prison” hearing at European Parliament The Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality of the European Parliament is organizing a public hearing in Brussels entitled “Women in Prison” on June 26, 2007. Chaired by Slovak MEP Anna Zaborska, the hearing will focus on an initiative report sponsored by Greek MEP Marie-Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou entitled “Women in Prison and the Impact of Incarceration of Parents on Family and Social Life,” and will feature presentations by a panel of experts. Alain Bouregba of the Fédération des Relais Enfants Parents and vice-president of EUROCHIPS will speak about the importance of maintaining family ties when a parent is imprisoned and the role they play in resettlement. Other experts include Ms Mercedes Gallizo Llamas, Director-General of the Penitentiary Institutions in Spain; Ms Sonja Kurtén-Vartio, Doctor in Political Sciences at Åbo Akademi, Finland; and Ms Gabriele Grote-Kux, Senate Department for Justice of the City of Berlin, Germany. The event will include a debate and general question-and-answer session. The Public Hearing is open to the public. For security reasons, participants who do not have a European Parliament access badge must obtain a pass in advance. Please contact the FEMM secretariat (Jérôme Soibinet) by 18 June at ip-femm@europarl.europa.eu Towards an EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child A European Parliament hearing was held in Brussels on April 17 on an EU strategy for children’s rights in the aim of helping to prepare the parliament’s response to the Commission communication “Towards an EU strategy on the rights of the child.” Representatives of EU institutions, international organizations and NGOs shared their views with MEPs. The hearing concluded that EU policymakers must recognize children as individuals, heed their concerns, and safeguard their rights. It was also noted that violence in all its forms, including bullying, child abuse, and sexual abuse, is what worries children most, according to experts and children themselves. Prisoners’ children are frequently the victim of bullying in schools and communities. Civil Liberties Committee Chairman Jean-Marie Cavada stressed the need to mainstream consideration of children’s needs in EU policies, and to “take stock of the children's rights situation in the European Union, to take account of children’s rights systematically in our policies, in our strategies and in our programs. Ms. Santos Pais, Director of the UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre, welcomed the step towards an EU strategy: "Children may now systematically be considered as a self-standing concern in European Union budgets, policies, laws and programs,” she said. The EU needs “a global strategy” to tackle all problems related to children, acknowledged Commission Vice-President Franco Frattini. The first European Forum on children’s rights, co-organized by the Commission and the Council Presidency, was held on June 4, in Berlin. For the Parliament’s report: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/ BELGIUM “A Parent in Prison: The Child’s Experience” The Fonds Houtman (Office de la Naissance et de l’Enfance – O.N.E.), in collaboration with the Red Cross in Belgium, are organizing a conference in Liège entitled Un Parent en Prison… Des Enfants Le Vivent (A Parent in Prison: The Child’s Experience) on October 5, 2007. Key speakers will include French philosopher André Comte-Sponville, Alain Bouregba, director of the Fédération des Relais Enfants-Parents and vice-president of EUROCHIPS, Catherine Fonck, Ministre de l’Enfance, de l’Aide à la Jeunesse et de la Santé de la Communauté française de Belgique, Georges Bovy, president of the O.N.E., and Claudia Camut, president of the Fonds Houtman. The morning session, chaired by Benoît Van der Meerschen, president of the Ligue des Droits de l’Homme, will revolve around the child and family relationships, and will include a documentary film by Bernard Bellefroid entitled “Pourquoi on ne peut pas se voir dehors quand il fait beau ?” (Why Can’t We Go Outside Together When the Weather Is Nice ?) . The afternoon session will feature roundtables on support initiatives for children and imprisoned parents and how to best meet their needs, focusing on the role of those working in the field and on the responsibility of the relevant institutions concerned. Participants will include representatives from the youth ministry, prison administration and social services, NGOs, the Red Cross, magistrates and child’s rights experts. A documentary by Sébastien Verkindere, “Car tu porteras mon nom. Le soutien des professionnels aux enfants de parents détenus” (You’ll Bear My Name. Support Initiatives by Professionals for Children With Imprisoned Parents) will be shown. The event is being supported by SPF Justice, the Direction Générale Etablissements Pénitentiaires and the Direction Générale de l’Aide à la Jeunesse. In French only. Registration requested before June 30, 2007. For further information, contact: houtman@skynet.be NETHERLANDS Ter Peel parent support program is launched The women’s prison Ter Peel in Evertsoord, the Netherlands, is launching a parenting support initiative in tandem with the Universiteit Utrecht to help offenders raise their children. Ter Peel’s long-term objective in launching the national pilot project, called “Better Start,” is to prevent transgenerational patterns of criminal behavior. Research has demonstrated that children of criminal parents have a greater risk of coming into conflict with the law and require greater support than children whose parents have no criminal record. The Dutch Department of Justice is striving to break this pattern. The women’s prison Ter Peel is the first prison in the Netherlands to carry out such a project. “Most of the women who stay here are very happy to be a mom, but they often don’t know how,” says Myriam Nourredine, coordinator of “Better Start” at Ter Peel. “Offenders who participate in the project get a three-month training. The training uses video images to show inmates how they can improve their parenting skills. Often there are actually simple things that can be improved—not yelling, or eating together at the table instead of in front of the TV.” SWITZERLAND “Parenting & Imprisonment: Practical Issues” On April 19, 2007, a second study day on the theme “Parenting & Imprisonment: Practical Issues” was held in Geneva. It was organized by Carrefour Prison (http://www.carrefour-prison.ch), an independent association launched in 1970 to provide psychological and social services support for prisoners' families and newly released inmates. In 2004, a “Chalet” opened 150 m. from the entrance of the Champ Dollon remand prison in Geneva, a family visits, counseling and information center for families awaiting prison visits. The study day aimed to bring together social workers, psychologists, prison staff, judges, politicians, and other professionals to discuss issues revolving around children with imprisoned parents. An article on the subject will appear in the autumn issue of La Revue Suisse de Criminologie. Psychologist Emmanuelle Granzotti of Carrefour Prison opened the event; Annetta Bennett, head of training and development for EUROCHIPs member KIDS VIP in the UK, spoke at length about the launch of KIDS VIP and the various issues families often face. Frequently asked questions include requests to improve visits conditions in prison and explore whether or not children should be told the truth about a parent’s imprisonment. Nicolas Grin, head of the remand sector from the Fondation Vaudoise de Probation , created in 1895 to help adults confronting the penal justice system, described the difficulties encountered in his work, and the various rewards it offered. He underscored the need to tell children the truth about their imprisoned parent. Marie-France Blanco, president and founder of Relais Enfants-Parents d’Ile de France, reminded the audience of the not so remote period in the past when no support systems for prisoners’ families existed and underscored the importance of any type of action being child-centered when a parent is imprisoned. UNITED KINGDOM In response to a report entitled “Poverty and Disadvantage Among Prisoners’ Families,” released in May by The Centre for Crime and Justice Studies (http://www.kcl.ac.uk/ccjs)and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, (http://www.jrf.org.uk charities in the UK are appealing to government departments to coordinate their action to respond to the plight of the estimated 150,000 children a year whom they say are being neglected by the state. The report highlighted the poverty, exclusion, loss of a parent and stigma the children experience, underscoring the inadequate funding for voluntary and community support organizations and the lack of a statutory safety net. The appeal is being made by EUROCHIPS member Action for Prisoners’ Families, in tandem with the Prison Advice & Care Trust, Prisoners Families & Friends Service and the Ormiston Children & Families Trust. “Finally—a report that recognizes the true cost of imprisonment,” says Sarah Salmon from Action for Prisoners’ Families. “These figures prove that the burgeoning prison population is leaving a trail of social devastation in its wake. Behind almost every prison sentence lies a story of broken homes, poverty and ill-health. All too often innocent family members and children are left to cope without adequate support. If the government is serious about tackling social exclusion, it must recognize that a jail term has consequences that reach far beyond the prison gates.” For the full report: www.jrf.org.uk or www.kcl.ac.uk/ccjs EUROPEAN FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES A new call for proposals under the PROGRESS Program has been published, aiming to support exchanges on policies, good practice and innovative approaches and to promote mutual learning in the context of social protection and inclusion strategy among European and EFTA/EEA countries. Among others, the program will consider key issues such as promoting inclusion of vulnerable groups, including people with disabilities; people living in/leaving institutions; homeless people; immigrants and ethnic minorities, including Roma, Gypsies and Travellers; and other groups experiencing extreme poverty and exclusion. The total budget should be approximately €5.6 million. Co-financing should be between €500,000 and €700,000 per project; Community financial aid for each project will not exceed 80 percent of total eligible costs. Closing date: 13 July 2007. For further details: http://ec.europa.eu/employment_social/calls/2007/vp_2007_012/call_en.pdf Advice from EU funding consultant Marco Bergometti is available to all EUROCHIPS members if additional information and guidance is needed. E-mail: contact@eurochips.org RECENT PUBLICATIONS • Figli di genitori detenuti : quali buone pratiche per sostenere la relazione – published by Bambinisenzasbarre, Milan. For copies: info@bambinisenzasbarre.org • Staying Close – family ties booklets for prisoners published by Action for Prisoners’ Families for male and female offenders to help them maintain family ties. They offer practical information on keeping in contact and shed light on the impact that a prisoner’s sentence may have on the family – Action for Prisoners’ Families. For copies: www.prisonersfamilies.org.uk • “Crime in Adult Offspring of Prisoners: A Cross-National Comparison of Two Longitudinal Samples, Murray, Joseph; Janson, Carl-Gunnar; Farrington, David P., in CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND BEHAVIOR,Vol. 34, No. 1, January 2007, pp. 133-149. Visiting in Prisons Project A three-year European project entitled V.I.P. ( Visiting in Prisons), part of the European Commission’s Grundtvig adult education and life-learning program, has begun involving partners from Portugal, Spain, Italy, Finland, Denmark, Poland, Germany and the UK Prisons H.M.P Winchester and The Wolds. This project aims to address offender and child relationships by improving visiting experiences in prisons and by helping the offender to better understand the needs of the child. The project also aims to encourage the prison authorities to have a better understanding of the importance of safeguarding the family bond. These aims will be achieved by the sharing of experiences between countries, encouraging parenting education and involving offenders and their children in writing books that will subsequently be translated for use in the partner countries. Project participants hope that this initiative will provide an opportunity for the voices of prisoners’ children and families to be heard. The project, launched in August 2006, came from a European meeting for prison educationalists in Lancaster organized by the British Council. For further information: janet.theodore@hmps.gsi.gov.uk THE NETHERLANDS New Focus on Prisoners’ Children Beginning 1 January 2007, the Rotterdam-based foundation Slechts op Bezoek (“Just Visiting”) will be shifting its main focus onto children with imprisoned parents. Since its establishment in 1996, Slechts op Bezoek has been offering support to families, friends and other close to offenders. Children have remained largely outside the scope of the foundation’s initiatives, the focus being largely on providing advice to the non-imprisoned parent. The new project, known as Koers (“Direction”), has two main objectives: to raise awareness of the specific issues confronted by this forgotten group of children; and to set up projects offering genuine assistance. Priority goals include establishing a website for children with family members in prison and opening a support center for children of imprisoned parents. The idea is to provide a place where children can visit and meet children in similar situations, as well as receive information and assistance. UNITED KINGDOM “Does Every Child Matter?” The Children Act 2004 introduced the UK Government’s “Every Child Matters” program of reform. A conference organized by Action for Prisoners' Families in London in October explored if this was indeed true for meeting the needs of children affected by imprisonment within their families. It also looked at possible measures to tackle the problems faced by this vulnerable group. Keynote speakers included Kathleen Marshall, Scotland's Commissioner for Children and Young People, and Maria Miller, MP, Shadow Minister for Education and the Family. The afternoon panel featured Martin Narey, Chief Executive of Barnardo’s and former Director General of the Prison Service, journalist Mary Riddell and Guinevere Tufnell, a leading consultant child and adolescent psychologist. Tufnell underscored the lack of available psychological treatment for children coping with the imprisonment of a parent. She cited the example of three young children she had assessed who had witnessed the killing of the mother by the father. Tufnell had recommended further treatment for the children, but none was provided. The chair for the afternoon was Dr. Andrew Coyle, Director of the International Centre for Prison Studies and a former prison governor. The overall messages from this vibrant and stimulating conference were the lack of short-term government funding of projects meant that support for prisoners’ families was often temporary, the lack of long-term vision and sustainability as well as the lack of government help to support the goal of rendering high quality services. Heartwarming testimony about her imprisonment and separation from her children was given by a young female offender representing the Clean Break Theatre Company, a new theater, education and writing company that works with women affected by the criminal justice system. Making Children Visible Scottish Commissioner for Children Kathleen Marshall has commissioned research to assess the rights of children with prisoner parents and is in discussion with the Scottish Prison about how the findings can be taken forward. She highlighted these developments during a talk given at “Does Every Child Matter?”, a conference organized by Action for Prisoners’ Families in London in October (see previous news brief). Her starting point was the United Nation Convention on the Rights of the Child and that if we give children rights we promise them something. Marshall has a particular interest in prisoner’s children because it is her duty to focus on groups who do not have adequate means to make their views heard. The research concluded that there was already sufficient research, but not clear evidence of the implementation of recommendations from earlier reports, and that children of prisoners are largely invisible in the process and system of sentencing and imprisonment In addition to the European Charter fro Human Rights, article 8, which is concerned with a right to family life, her focus was on the relevant articles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Initially to ascertain what children thought: in addition to other research she examined the analysis of calls to Childline (a telephone helpline for children). The main issues were around visiting, release, drugs, shame and stigma, money and bullying. Mrs. Marshall's concern was that in Scotland policies focused on children as an aid to rehabilitation rather than as’ ‘visible’ people with their own rights, and that many good initiatives are local and stop when a particular individual moves on. Her concluding suggestion was to make children more visible through: Information gathering Making sure their rights are integral to law, policy and practice Child impact assessments on sentencing Getting their perspective – sensitively. Her ideas for possible next steps were to Audit rights compliance at level of law/ policy Focus on implementing previous recommendations rather than creating too many new ones, and provide child-friendly information for children and a website for children. Links need to be made between agencies, and in Scotland the new Community Justice Authorities provide an opportunity for this. AROUND THE WORLD Moldova The non-governmental organization International Society for Human Rights–Moldavian Section (ISHR-MS) based in Chisinau has for the past seven years been assisting children without parental care. This group of children includes children whose parents are imprisoned, as well as children who are in the charge of relatives following the death of a parent or their departure abroad in search of a job. Like many other newly independent states, Moldova is struggling with economic and social crises. There has been a sharp increase in child neglect, crime and suicide. In Moldova, no social service unit is designated for children without parental care. The state and communities often lose sight of them, and these children are frequently predisposed to intergenerational crime and incarceration as a result. In order to improve the difficult situation of children in Moldova, it is necessary to raise awareness among community agencies that can provide active support. To achieve this, Moldovan and French sections of the International Society for Human Rights have joined forces with the aim of reducing juvenile delinquency in Moldova. The ISHR-MS intends is currently working to set up a Day Center entitled “Hope” for children without parental care for children between the ages of 6 and 17, the most vulnerable group of children in high-risk situations. The Day Center for children without parental care, which will be funded by Moldavian Section of ISHR, will provide support services for this group of children to help them integrate into society and ultimately help break the cycle of transgenerational incarceration. For additional information: nemcinova@yahoo.com EUROPEAN FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES Europe for Citizens: Structural support for European public policy research organisations and for civil society organisations at European level Although the “Europe for Citizens” program proposal has not yet been formally adopted by the legislature, the European Commission is publishing this call for proposals to enable prompt implementation of the program and enable potential beneficiaries to prepare proposals. Candidates should focus on at least one of the following themes in their work: ·?Equal opportunities for all (European Year 2007): raising awareness of equal opportunities, encouraging communication, information and exchange of best practices and policies promoting equal opportunities for people from a less-privileged cultural, geographical or socio-economic background. ·?Intercultural dialogue: promoting cultural diversity and tolerance and addressing non-violent conflict transformation by facilitating dialogue and joint activities of people from multicultural, multiethnic and multi-faith backgrounds; to promote and exchange experiences and best practices that would illustrate the possibility, value and efficiency of intercultural dialogue. Applications must be submitted to the Executive Agency no later than 22 December 2006. Program guide available at: http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/static/en/citizenship/call1206/index.htm Advice from EU funding consultant Marco Bergometti is available to all EUROCHIPS members if additional information and guidance is needed. E-mail: contact@eurochips.org Training - imprisonment and family ties Psychoanalyst Alain Bouregba, president of the Fédération des Relais Enfants Parents (FREP) and vice-president of EUROCHIPS, is organizing a two-day training session in Paris entitled The Impact of Imprisonment on Family Ties. Day One will focus on the impact of a parent's incarceration on the child; subthemes include the repercussions of separation on children, the risks of parental absence on development, and support systems for the child. Day Two will explore parenting in prison, with a separate focus on imprisoned mothers, imprisoned fathers, and support systems for parents. November 9-10, In French only. For further information: +33 (0)1 46 56 79 40 or federation.rep@club-internet.fr ITALY Festa dell'affettività - Bringing a bit of fun into the prison Bambinisenzasbarre, EUROCHIPS' member association in Italy, held its annual Festa dell'affettività, or "Family Affection Day," this summer, an event especially organized for children with imprisoned parents. The aim of the project is to emphasize the importance of the relationship between the child and her/his imprisoned parents. For many participants, the association assists families by providing an opportunity for them to come together after long periods of time. A group of clowns welcomes the children both outside and inside the prison. The event features several stands with interactive activities such as painting and drawing, balloons, makeup and face painting for children, and music-making. Other entertainment activities for parents and children are organized at a nearby playground. A small theatrical group of imprisoned parents performs a short play. Drinks, cookies and cakes are served. At the end of the day, the children receive small gifts when it comes to say goodbye to their parents-a dramatic moment which the clowns and volunteers do their very best to ease. For further information: bambinisenzasbarre@infinito.it UNITED KINGDOM "Does Every Child Matter?" The Children Act 2004 introduced the UK government's "Every Child Matters" program of reform-but is it meeting the needs of children affected by an imprisoned family member? www.prisonersfamilies.org.uk">Action for Prisoners Families, a EUROCHIPS member organization in the UK, is hosting a conference in London on October 18 entitled Does Every Child Matter? to explore these issues and highlight the various measures which should be taken to assist this vulnerable group of children. Keynote speakers include Maria Miller, MP, Shadow Minister for Education and the Family, and Kathleen Marshall, Scotland's Commissioner for Children and Young People. An afternoon panel debate will feature Martin Narey, chief executive of Barnardo's and former director general of the prison service, and journalist Angela Neustatter. Dr. Andrew Coyle, director of the International Centre for Prison Studies and a former prison governor, will chair. Women from the Clean Break Theatre Company will be reading writings on the theme "A Prisoner in the Family." A special 75€ registration fee is offered to EUROCHIPS members. For further information: conference@actionpf.org.uk "Meeting the Needs of Children of Prisoners" Barnardo's of Northern Ireland is organizing a conference in Belfast on October 19 entitled What About Me? Meeting the Needs of Children of Prisoners. Speakers include Martin Narey, chief executive of Barnardo's in the United Kingdom, and Farida Anderson from Partners of Prisoners in Manchester. EUROCHIPS member Kjersti Holden of Foreningen for Fangers Paroende/Organization for Relatives and Friends of Prisoners (FFP) in Norway will be representing EUROCHIPS and providing a European perspective on the issue of prisoners' children. There will also be a series of workshops on how to involve parents in the child's restorative justice processes; the impact of a mother's imprisonment on the child; support for families of sex offenders; support services for visiting prisons; and community services for families. The drama group Rainbow Factory will be performing a play on the subject. Barnardo's runs a project called Parenting Matters in Northern Ireland, delivering parenting programs across Northern Ireland, including in the three prisons to men, women and young people. They also support families of prisoners in the community. For further information: +44 028 90320157 or angie@niacro.co.uk EUROPEAN FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES Daphne III - fighting violence against children, young people and women Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have called for an increase in the budget for DAPHNE III, an EU program that aims to combat violence against children, young people and women. In adopting a first-reading report on the EU program, MEPs called for a budget of €125 million for 2007-2013 as compared to €116.85 million in the European Commission's proposal. They want to include domestic violence, genital mutilation and protection of victims as objectives of the program. MEPs also underscored the need to recognize that some groups, notably women belonging to minority groups, those living in poverty, imprisoned women, refugees and migrants, disabled women and the elderly, are particularly vulnerable to violence. The program will back the launch of a Europe-wide child helpline, which should take the form of a standard free international number for children. The program will cover the period from 1 January 2007- 31 December 2013 and, according to the Parliament, should build on the policies and objectives laid down in the Daphne (2000-2003) and Daphne II (2004-2008) programs. For further information on application criteria, contact: Lena Kraft, Press Service - Press Officer: femm-press@europarl.europa.eu Tel: (32) 2 28 32590 (Brussels)/ (33) 3 881 72420 (Strasbourg). To download reference documents: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/file.jsp?id=5290062 RECENT PUBLICATIONS World Female Imprisonment List The World Female Imprisonment List, compiled by Roy Walmsley, published by the International Centre for Prison Studies, King's College: The first edition to focus solely on female imprisonment. Provides the number of women and girls detained in penal institutions, both remand prisoners and convicted and sentenced, as well as percentage of women and girls within each national prison population, in 187 prison systems worldwide. Download pdf file at www.prisonstudies.org European Prison Rules This book deals with the prison rules that are in effect in Europe and examines in particular all aspects of imprisonment and prisons such as the selection of prison staff and the protection of prisoners' human rights. The revised rules feature several changes from those drafted in 1987, one being a brief section on women inmates. The section stipulates that the psychological, social, vocational and physical needs of women prisoners shall be given particular attention in making decisions about their detention. Pregnant prisoners shall be allowed to give birth outside the prison; if the birth occurs in the prison, the authorities shall provide all required support. The new rules also underscore the need for special services for women who are victims of mental, physical or sexual abuse. The revised rules feature several changes from those drafted in 1987, one being a brief section on women inmates. The section stipulates that the psychological, social, vocational and physical needs of women prisoners shall be given particular attention in making decisions about their detention. Pregnant prisoners shall be allowed to give birth outside the prison; if the birth occurs in the prison, the authorities shall provide all required support. The new rules also underscore the need for special services for women who are victims of mental, physical or sexual abuse. To acquire a copy: http://book.coe.int/EN/ficheouvrage.php?PAGEID=36&lang=EN&produit_aliasid=2098 EUROPE EUROCHIPs' conference Children of Imprisoned Parents: European Perspectives held at the Cité Internationale Universitaire in Paris on 12-13 May 2006, brought together some 150 delegates from 19 countries. In addition to participants from Western Europe and Canada, a grant from the Soros Foundation (Open Society Institute) allowed for delegates from Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Lithuania and Poland. Relais Enfants-Parents-Cameroon also was represented. Elda Moreno of Spain, Programme Manager and Head of the coordination Unit DG III Social Cohesion Building a Europe for and with children of the Council of Europe, chaired the event. Marie Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou, a Greek European Parliament Member and president of the Intergroup on Family and Protection of Childhood gave the welcome address. She plays a key role in the EU Committee on Employment and Social Affairs and its committee on women's rights and gender equality. The keynote speaker was the novelist, poet and human rights activist Taslima Nasrin, who addressed the issue from a human rights perspective interwoven with her own personal experiences of discrimination and exclusion (she was expelled from her home country of Bangladesh and is currently living in India). Rita Swinnen of the Bernard van Leer Foundation, which funds EUROCHIPS, gave the concluding remarks at the end of the first day. Additional speakers included Ria Wolleswinkel (University of Maastricht) and Maryam Tabib (AIRE Centre, UK), who explored legal issues relevant to children with imprisoned parents. Andrew Coyle, Director of the International Centre for Prison Studies (King's College, University of London) , gave a powerful talk on the psychosocial aspects of incarceration, demonstrating that there is little relation of the rate of imprisonment to crime rates in a given country and underscoring how imprisonment of children and juveniles is on the increase. He used personal stories from the time he was a prison director at HMP Brixton to illustrate the importance of maintaining ties for prisoners and their children. He stressed how family visits conditions vary greatly among countries, and how much West European countries could learn from the meaningful and warm family visits carried out in Central and Eastern European countries. Alain Bouregba, director of the Fédération des Relais-Enfants Parents, France, expanded on the psychological aspects and the risks for children in the development of their identity and of their relationships with adults and with peers. The conference also provided the opportunity to present Children of Imprisoned Parents: European Perspectives on Good Practice (Eurochips, April 2006), a book drafted by network members and staff that brings together current knowledge, good practice and lobbying efforts. Issues dealt with include the legal background, parenting and prison, children visiting prison, infants living with imprisoned mothers, training and family ties and lobbying for prisoners' children. The introductory chapter explores the vision that guides the network and the work of the members, while the other chapters provide concrete examples or experiences, as well as ideas and recommendations to move the work forward. A series of workshops were organized for the second day on the issues of children visiting prison, parenting in prison, legal issues, lobbying and the importance of a national support network, and how training can impact on maintaining family ties in prison. Here is a sampling of main points from two of the workshops: Lobbying and the importance of a national support network (facilitated by Lucy Gampell of Action for Prisoners' Families, UK; and by Marie-France Blanco of Relais Enfant Parents, France).
Legal issues surrounding the issue of children with imprisoned parents (facilitated by Ria Wolleswinkel, University of Maastricht; and by Maryam Tabib, AIRE Centre, UK)
ITALY The Milan-based association Bambinisenzasbarre (BSS), a Eurochips member, has been collaborating intensively with San Vittore Prison to organize more child-friendly visits procedures for children with imprisoned parents. Regardless of weather conditions, children and relatives accompanying them on prison vists often are required to spend long periods of time waiting in line outside the prison before they are allowed entry to see their parents. In response, BSS opened last April the "Spazio Giallo" ("Yellow Corner"), a child-friendly area inside the prison where children and relatives can wait for prison visits. The Spazio Giallo (literally "yellow room," named because of the colorful yellow walls) offers children the opportunity to play with toys and games. Specially trained personnel are on hand to help alleviate the anxiety and stress which children often experience. Additional staff and volunteers provide support and information to relatives about psychological issues, legal matters and other relevant issues. Spazio Giallo is open daily. For access, accompanying adults must book ahead of time with Bambinisenzabarre. For further information, contact bambinisenzasbarre@infinito.it AROUND THE WORLD The Relais Enfants Parents in Cameroon, an organization created in December 2005 to work on behalf of children with imprisoned parents, in particular those with mothers held in extreme conditions, launched an awareness campaign to coincide with Mother's Day and African Children's Day (respectively, June 6 and June 16). REP-Cameroon places emphasis on mothers in difficult confinement conditions because they are frequently abandoned by significant others and families. Marie-France Blanco, the founder of of Relais Enfants Parents in France, traveled to Cameroon to participate in the launch of this campaign. As part of their activities to support this group of children, REP-Cameroon is organizing weekly handicraft workshops during which prisoners make toys and objects for their children. At present, REP-Cameroon accompanies children on prison visits only on special occasions, such as Mother's Day and Christmas, due to insufficient funding. The goal ultimately is to be able to accompany children on a monthly basis; to achieve this, REP-Cameroon has set up a system of patronage for institutions and individuals with a call for help. Cameroon has 75 prisons and an estimated 54,000 children with imprisoned parents. Children are denied access to most prisons. Some 75 percent of offenders come from a milieu of extreme poverty, consequently leaving many of the children in a precarious situation and at risk. For further information, contact Claire Mimboe Ndi-Samba at info@repcam.org Updating of European Prison Rules The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe have updated the European Prison Rules. On January 11, 2006, the Committee adopted the new rules, which have not been modified since 1987, basing them on a recent case law of the European Court of Human Rights and standards developed by the Committee for the Prevention of Torture. Although the rules are not binding, they stipulate the minimum requirements for the treatment and detention conditions of inmates. With respect to family ties, the rules hold that "arrangements for visits shall be such as to allow prisoners to maintain and develop family relationships in as normal a manner as possible." The revised rules feature several changes from those drafted in 1987, one being a brief section on women inmates. The section stipulates that the psychological, social, vocational and physical needs of women prisoners shall be given particular attention in making decisions about their detention. Pregnant prisoners shall be allowed to give birth outside the prison; if the birth occurs in the prison, the authorities shall provide all required support. The new rules also underscore the need for special services for women who are victims of mental, physical or sexual abuse. The Quaker Council for European Affairs (QCEA) ,a Brussels-based NGO that has been conducting a study into the conditions of women's imprisonment across Council of Europe member states, has drafted a Gender Critique of the newly adopted prison rules, citing recommendations for rules such as protecting female prisoners, provisions for visiting children, and the recording of the number, ages and location of the offender's children and the children's caretaker. NEW RESEARCH A new study by Joseph Murray and David P. Farrington of the Cambridge Institute of Criminology in England explores the long-term adverse impact that the imprisonment of a parent can have on children, assessing later-life outcomes for prisoners' children compared to children separated from parents for other reasons. Entitled Parental Imprisonment : effects on boys' anti-social behaviour and delinquency through the life-course," the study uses prospective longitudinal data from the Cambridge Study in Delinquency Development, based on data on 411 Inner London males and their parents. It compares boys separated by parental imprisonment during the first ten years of life with control groups-boys who did not experience separation; boys separated by hospital or death; boys separated for other reaons, eg. divorce; and boys whose parents were imprisoned prior to their birth. Individual, parenting and family risk factors for delinquency were measured when boys were aged 8 to 11. Eleven anti-social and delinquent outcomes were assessed between ages 14 and 40. Separation due to a parent's imprisonment predicted all antisocial-delinquent outcomes compared to the control conditions and was associated with many other childhood risk factors for delinquency. One of the rare longitudinal studies investigating long-term effects of parental imprisonment, it concludes that the imprisonment of a parent seems to affect children over and above separation experiences and the concomitant risks, and points to other variables that may be affecting later-life outcomes of prisoners' children. These include stigma, reduction in family income, and inadequate explanations of the imprisoned parent's circumstances/not telling the child the truth. The authors conclude that further research on these variables is required to identify the mechanisms by which parental imprisonment affects children. Another new study, also by Joseph Murray, provides a thorough review of literature in English on prisoners' families. It is entitled "The effects of imprisonment on families and children of prisoners." Murray, J. (2005). In A. Liebling & S. Maruna (Eds.), The effects of imprisonment (pp. 442-492). Uffculme, Devon: Willan. A report by researchers at the Cambridge Cambridge Institute of Criminology Prisons Research Centre in England demonstrates how maintaining family ties and contact during imprisonment can help prevent suicide and self harm among offenders. The research, entitled An Evaluation of the Safer Locals Programme, was carried out by Alison Liebling, Sarah Tait, Linda Durie, Annick Stiles and Joel Harvey, with the assistance of Gerry Rose. It underscores how family ties can act as a "protective factor" against suicide by reducing the level of distress among offenders. Distress was found to be statistically related to institutional suicide rates. The research also explored how conditions could be improved for both prisoners and prison staff. With respect to family contact, offenders cited making access easier, providing writing materials, allowing more time for phone calls, and having longer visits as important improvements. The Safer Locals Programme was launched following an increase in prison suicides from 62 per year, or a rate of 127 per 100,000 prisoners in 1994, to 91, or a rate of 140 per 100,000 prisoners in 1999. The programme involved five pilot prisons. An internal conference in Vilnius entitled Women and the Penal System in Europe : Review, Analysis of Requirements, and Overview of "Best Practice" (October 13-16, 2005) was held October 13-16, 2005, marking the culmination of an international research project sponsored by the European Commission (AGIS program) on women and the penal system in Europe Organized by the Legal Institute of the Lithuanian Justice Ministry and the University of Greifswald, the project reviews the living conditions of imprisoned women in Denmark, Germany, Greece, Lithuania, Croatia, Poland, Russia, Slovenia and Spain, with the aim of improving their situation in the long term. It also explores the work conditions of prison staff and the development of a training curriculum for prison staff working in establishments for women offenders. The second day of the conference involved group discussion of the proposed training curriculum by professionals working within the field. For additional information on the project, contact Prof. Dr. Frieder Dünkel at duenkel@uni-greifswald.de or Dr. Claudia Kestermann at kester@uni-greifswald.de NORWAY Foreningen for Fangers Pårørende (FFP), a Norwegian organization working on behalf of relatives and friends of offenders, has launched a project aimed at supporting teenagers aged 13 to 20 with friends or relatives in prison. Carried out in collaboration with the Norwegian Red Cross, the project seeks to boost young people's confidence by providing a meeting point for them to share their experiences, thoughts and questions; to receive support in dealing with the imprisonment of a family member or friend; and to participate in various activities such as paintball trips, video-game evenings, etc. (The teenagers will determine and plan the type of activity they wish to engage in.) The project, staffed by social workers experienced in working with teenagers and by trained volunteers, is backed by by the Norwegian Ministry of Children and Family Affairs. A Eurochips member, FFP is based in Oslo but has a national scope. For further information, contact Mario Erik Briceño López at mario@ffp.no UNITED KINGDOM Action for Prisoners' Families (APF) organized a conference in London on maintaining family contact on 20th October 2005. With over 200 delegates attending, the conference opened on an original note with the performance of a specially commissioned play entitled "Homeward Bound," by Mary Cooper. Performed by the M6 Theatre Company, the play skillfully highlights the issues and emotional conflicts that families face when a family member, in this case the father, is about to be released from prison. All perspectives are touched upon-the child's, partner's and offender's-with respect to the effects of imprisonment and key transitional points, such as the period running up to an offender's release. Keynote speaker Fiona Mactaggart, Parliamentary Undersecretary for Race Equality, Community Policy and Civil Renewal, underscored the importance of family ties and community with respect to resettlement and cited the need for additional state support (noting the high rate of self-inflicted deaths in the week following an offender's release, for example). She described how families can provide a reason for change and stressed the need to tap into new technological means for maintaining quality family contact, such as video for inter-prison visits. Other speakers included Mary McLeod, Chief Executivev, National Family & Parenting Institute, and Hazel Banks, Head of Women's Team & Juvenile Group, HM Prison Service. In addition, the winners of the inaugural Daisy & Tom Awards, a competition launched by APF to reward prisons in the England & Wales for sustainable initiatives that improve family contact, were announced at the conference. Top prizes went to HMP Bristol (for Relationships Workshops for prisoners and their partners); HMP Wandsworth (for working with arts educational charity Safe Ground to train prison officers to manage and deliver the nationally accredited FAMIILY MAN family relationships course); and HMP Stafford (for special family visits to allow prisoners to maintain contact in a more relaxed setting than traditional prison visits and to enhance their parenting skills). Storybooks Dads (a project where prisoners read stories on tape for their children) also received an award. A DVD of "Homeward Bound," a highly effective tool in awareness-raising and changing attitudes in all sectors concerned with offenders and families, is being made and will be available from APF early in 2006. For further information, please email: info@actionpf.org.uk, or visit the APF website. The Howard League for Penal Reform is organizing a series of conferences on the legal and human rights of children in the penal system, to be held in London at the end of 2005. They address youth offending teams, local authorities, youth and social workers, probation practitioners, sentencers, lawyers, voluntary sector organisations, academics and anyone working in the criminal justice system and concerned about reform. They consist of plenary sessions with keynote speakers, questions and debates, and breakout sessions to explore good practice and further discussions. The next conference of the series entitled Children in custody will be held on December 2nd, 2005. For more information, contact: Barbara Norris at The Howard League for Penal Reform Tel: + 44 20 7249 7373. Fax: + 44 20 7249 7788. E-mail: events@howardleague.org Eurochips played a key role at NEPACS's third national conference, held in early September at Collingwood College, in Durham, northern England and entitled Prisoners and their Families: Sustaining the Links. Ria Wolleswinkel, jurist and associate professor at Maastricht University in the Netherlands and former president of Eurochips, delivered the keynote speech, giving a broad overview of the needs and rights of children with imprisoned relatives. Her talk helped raise awareness on how a rights-based approach can be invoked to improve facilities for prisoners' families. Lloyd Withers, national coordinator of the Family and Corrections Network in Canada, underscored the need for national voluntary organizations to unite both in strategy and policy to improve arrangements for offenders' families. The conference included a wide range of workshops covering different aspects of family relationships where delegates had a chance to learn from experts and discuss ideas. Eurochips members Rita Christensen and Pernilla Svebo Lindgren of the association RiksBryggan in Sweden discussed the Bryggan project with prisoners' children, as well as the study circles on parenthood developed in Swedish prisons. Workshops focused on Scottish and Russian initiatives, and explored various aspects of work with offenders' families in England. Topics included drugs, black families and family friendly practice in prisons (initiatives run by Action for Prisoners' Families, as well as others), preparing families for resettlement, and fostering basic relationship skills for prisoners and their partners. NEPACS (North East Prison After Care Service) is a voluntary, independent, community-based charity that supports offenders, ex-offenders and their friends and families. A Bernard van Leer Foundation European partners meeting entitled "Pulling up another chair" was held in London in February 2005, bringing together projects focusing on children's participation from eight countries to exchange information, discuss how children from birth to age 8 are taking part in matters that affect their lives, identify some of the relevant issues and challenges and address key research questions and their corresponding links to practice. Independent child's rights consultant Gerison Lansdown delivered two sessions on promoting and measuring the evolving capacities of children and the exercise of their rights; she is the author of a study published jointly by the UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre and Swedish Save the Children exploring these issues, available in early 2005 at www.unicef-icdc.org. Penny Lancaster of Coram Family's Listening to Young Children training and consultancy service facilitated a forum to reflect on what had been achieved by coming together, on strategies for taking children's participation further and on future collaboration. With respect to children of imprisoned parents, the meeting provided an important prompt for Eurochips and its partners to ensure that, even within the difficult circumstances of a prison play project, children can participate--they can choose their activities from the selection available, they can be in control of their activity, and play providers can offer them different ways of evaluating the experience and offering their suggestions, from encouraging them to speak about what they would like, to having child-friendly evaluation tools on offer. One method highlighted by a Bernard van Leer partner, for example, encourages children to pick one of three smiley faces in different colors. Children can choose a smiley face corresponding to his or her feeling: green = "That was nice," orange = "I don't know," red = "I didn't like it," and fixes the smiley face on a poster next to the activity of the day. The meeting also underscored the importance of respecting the relevant articles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and looked at: Article 5 respects the responsibilities, rights and duties of parents to provide appropriate direction and guidance for their children. Article 12 states the right of the child to express an opinion and to have that opinion taken into account, in any matter or procedure affecting the child. Eurochips also refers you to Article 9 safeguards the rights of a child separated from their parents to maintain contact with their parents provided it is in the child's best interests. The full text of the articles can be found at http://www.unicef.org/crc/crc.htm BELGIUM (FRENCH-SPEAKING COMMUNITY) The Belgian Red Cross and ASBL Relais Enfants-Parents held a press conference in Brussels on February 24, 2005 to present a joint prison visits project they have been running since late 2003. The project involves developing a major network of trained volunteers to accompany children from disadvantaged families on prison visits to see their incarcerated parent. The volunteers (called "navetteurs") pick up children from their place of residence and take them to the prison, where a Relais Enfants-Parents psychologist then accompanies the child to see the visits area. The volunteer then takes the child home two hours later. Listening skills are crucial to being a volunteer, as the period prior to and following the visit can be emotionally charged for the child. The press conference provided the opportunity to solicit new volunteers. The navetteur system is currently operating in nine prisons in Belgium, where 15,000 to 20,000 children are affected by the imprisonment of one or both parents each year. For further information: Geneviève Moumal, project coordinator ASBL Relais Enfants-Parents: +31 (0)2 534 88 13 relais.e.p@belgacom.net Belgian Red Cross: Luc Mélardy, Coordinator, prison sector: +31 (0)2 371 33 17, luc.melardy@redcross-fr.be CANADA A seminar entitled "Prévention et l'intervention face à la criminalité" (Crime Prevention and Intervention) is being held 20-22 April, 2005, in Orford, Quebec. Organized by the SABD (Services d'Aide Bruno Dandenault), CIVAS (Centre d'Intervention en Violence et Abus Sexuels de l'Estrie) and Regroupement des Intervenants en Matière d'Agression Sexuelle, the seminar's theme is "All for One and One for All." Quebec's social infrastructure, according to the seminar's steering committee, is undergoing radical changes and the government has launched a series of sweeping modernization initiatives. Organizations are expected to intensify their exchanges and collaboration with respect to crime prevention and intervention. A series of workshops will explore the different approaches used in dealing with such themes as:
COLLOQUE DEUX MILLE C.P. 161 SHERBROOKE QUÉBEC J1H 5H8 For further information: Sara Martinet, sarasabd@qc.aira.com Tel: (819) 564-5130. www.rimas.qc.ca ITALY The Milan-based association Bambinisenzasbarre (BSS), a Eurochips member, is working in collaboration with San Vittore Prison to organize a new prison visits booking scheme for children with imprisoned parents. In May 2004, BSS opened the Stanza Verde, a child-friendly space in Milan's Science and Technology Museum near San Vittore Prison where children with imprisoned parents can wait prior to prison visits-which frequently require long waits outside the prison, rain or shine (the prison has no official booking scheme for visits). The Stanza Verde (literally "green room," named after the room where stage actors go to decompress before their play premieres) is a bright, child-friendly room with toys and games and specially trained personnel to help alleviate anxiety and stress among the children. Staff and volunteers provide support and information about psychological issues, legal matters and other relevant concerns. Now, since mid-February, BSS actually books the visit with the prison once the child arrives at the museum, and to avoid any delays, accompanies the child to the prison only when the scheduled visit is to begin. Children using Stanza Verde facilities can visit the science museum while they wait, providing an educational link to the child's community. BSS spearheaded the initiative, working in tandem with the prison service (Provveditorato Regionale, Centro Servizio Sociale per Adulti), municipal public health services (ASL), the Università di Milano-Bicocca, Enaip (a private training foundation), the Caritas Ambrosiana Foundation and the National Science and Technology Museum Foundation. The Stanza Verde currently operates on Wednesdays and Saturdays. For further information: bambinisenzasbarre@infinito.it THE NETHERLANDS A new study entitled "Effect van kinderbezoek aan gedetineerde Vaders" (The Impact of Children's Visits on Imprisoned Fathers) by Anke Bolwijn and Piet Bolwijn has just been published in the Netherlands. Based on a child-parent project carried out in the Dutch prison of Roermond, the study involves ten fathers and sixteen children age 3 to 13 and explores the impact of children's visits on imprisoned fathers. The visits scheme at Roermond offers fathers the opportunity to have physical contact with their children (children can climb onto their father's laps and they can embrace) and give them their full attention. In turn, the study finds that the prison atmosphere is quieter and more humane as a result of the visits. For further information: Anke Bolwijn and Piet Bolwijn, "Effect van kinderbezoek aan gedetineerde vaders", Proces 2004/5, pp. 196-201. UNITED KINGDOM Action for Prisoners' Families, in partnership with the Midlands Regional Visitors Centre Forum, is organizing a good practice workshop for members on 23 March, 2005, in Peterborough. The workshop will provide a platform for Visitors' Centre managers to describe methods they use to identify first-time visitors to prisons and to exchange good practice. Information for first-time visitors will be reviewed, and ways to provide this most effectively will be explored (i.e. leaflets, notice boards, information packs, staff available for discussion). Visitors' Centres play a vital role in improving family contact and increasing the support available to prisoners' families. APF will be repeating the workshop for visitors' centres in the North of England and Scotland in May 2005. Notes from both meetings will be combined into a draft good practice guide and distributed to members. For further information or to attend the workshop: Mark Heybourne at mark@actionpf.org.uk Tel: +44 01603 610888. UNITED KINGDOM On 21 April 2005, Action for Prisoners' Families and the Eastern Regional Families Partnership (The Ormiston Children & Families Trust) are organizing a conference entitled Homeward Bound: The Resettlement Pathway for Children & Families. In addition to exploring resettlement challenges for prisoners and their families, the day will also include a performance by the M6 Theatre Company of a specially commissioned play by award-winning writer Mary Cooper and a series of good practice workshops. Keynote speakers include, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Children and Families, and Christine Knott, Regional Offender Manager for England and Wales. The conference will be held at the Birmingham Hippodrome. For further information, contact Sue Gunns at the Ormiston Children & Families Trust: sue.gunns@ormiston.org or Tel: +44 01638 600 076 NEW BOOKS FOR CHILDREN A series of story books dealing with issues affecting children with imprisoned parents has been published by Action for Prisoners' Families. Books include:
To obtain copies: info@actionpf.org.uk PETIT TOM EN VISITE (YOUNG TOM VISITS DAD): An illustrated story book, published in French by the Fonds Houtman (O.N.E., French-speaking community in Belgium). Tells the story of young Tom, whose father is in prison. It describes the child's emotions in coping with his father's absence, how his mother tells the child about his imprisonment, the visit to the prison and the dad's release. Text also available in Dutch, German and Turkish. To obtain a copy: christelle.bornauw@skynet.be Cranstoun Drug Services and the European Network on Drugs and Infections Prevention in Prison launched an in-depth report entitled "Substitution Treatment in European Prisons" in the European Parliament on November 24. Focusing on the policies and practices of 18 European countries, the report highlights the obstacles to introducing substitution treatment into prisons and the difficulties that prisoners encounter when attempting to access services. Overall, availability, management and evaluation of substitution treatment in prison settings were seen as lagging behind those services offered in community settings. Interviews were conducted in two prisons per country with prison and medical staff and with focus groups of inmates to assess their views on service provision. Research objectives included initiating an exchange of information between medical staff and health care workers in prisons and identifying good practice in the field of substitution treatment. The study recommends that the specific treatment needs of women be met according to the severity of their drug use (as there are fewer women in prison in comparison to men, drug use among women prisoners in many countries tends to be of the severely dependent type). It found that offenders participating in substitution treatments tend to display lower readmission rates overall. The scope of substitution treatment for opiate-dependent persons, introduced some forty years ago, has extended across Europe, according to the study: only Greece and Sweden currently do not offer treatment in prisons. Partly funded by the European Commission, the project targeted the 15 EU Member States (prior to the May expansion) and Poland, Slovenia and the Czech Republic. The pdf version of the research report is now available on www.endipp.net under "publications" and then "research reports." For further information : vbullock@cranstoun.org.uk EUROPE During the recent ad hoc Conference of Directors of Prison Administration (CDPA) and Probation Service, organized jointly by the Council of Europe and the Italian Ministry of Justice in November, the European Committee for Children of Imprisoned Parents (EUROCHIPS) made a series of recommendations in light of the updating of the European Prison Rules. Presented in Rome by the Milan-based association Bambinisenzasbarre, a EUROCHIPS member, the recommendations highlight the importance of maintaining family ties. They read as follows:
Andrew Coyle, director of the International Centre for Prison Studies at King's College in London and one of three scientific experts from the Council for Penological Cooperation (PC-CP) overseeing the updating of the Prison Rules, agreed to take the recommendations into consideration. The final text will be completed by late 2005, then submitted to the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers for adoption in early 2006. The Prison Rules are not binding for Member States. In April 2004, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe recommended to the Committee of Ministers that they draft a European Prisons Charter with the European Union that sets forth the rights and responsibilities of prisoners. Additional topics discussed during the conference were long-term sentences and the importance of alternative forms of punishment. For further information : http://assembly.coe.int/Documents/WorkingDocs/Doc04/EDOC10332.htm SWEDEN The Swedish Prison and Probation Service issued a series of orders on September 15 in response to a Spring 2004 report on prisoners' children released by the Children's Ombudsman. The report, entitled "Do not punish the children," maintained that conditions for children with incarcerated parents in Sweden were unacceptable in many ways and that little progress had been made since the 1998 Prison and Probation Service report. The Ombudsman report suggested a series of changes:
In response, the Swedish Prison and Probation Service ordered the following for all prisons in Sweden:
*Statistics are not systematized on a national level yet in Sweden. The purpose of asking is to make staff aware of parents' and children's needs and to bring this awareness into the treatment of the prisoner. THE NETHERLANDS In mid-October, an initiative was launched in the Netherlands to have volunteers from the Exodus Foundation accompany children on prison visits to imprisoned fathers, as part of an extended visits program operating in four of the nation's prisons: De Geerhorst, Roermond, Rotterdam and Krimpen a/d IJssel. Approximately seventeen volunteers are now accompanying some 40 children aged 3 to 16 to visit their imprisoned fathers on a regular basis, for extended visits of two hours. The visits take place in special child-friendly rooms. At Roermond, for example, children visit with fathers in a room equipped with games and other activities and have access to a gymnasium, where they can engage in sports together. Exodus Foundation is financing travel costs and insurance, and the work is done in close collaboration with the Probation Service. There are plans to extend the initiative to Overmaze Prison in Maastricht in early 2005. For further information: nederland@stichtingexodus.nl SCOTLAND A new association working on behalf of children with imprisoned parents was launched October 31 in Glasgow, Scotland. H.A.P.P.Y. (Help and Protect Prisoners' Youngsters), an information and support services organization that aims to be a voice for prisoners' children, was set up by two young women who have experienced the incarceration of a parent and have first-hand knowledge of the concomitant stigma and hardship often suffered by the child. After raising an initial £5,000, the association is operating solely on a volunteer basis without specific funding. The two full-time staff members are working to develop an information and support Helpline by early 2005. Contact: sharonyule65@hotmail.com H.A.P.P.Y., Suite 6, Kinning Park Business Centre, 544 Scotland Street West, Kinning Park, Glasgow G41 1BZ. Tel: +44 (0)141 429 2922. The association Bambinisenzasbarre organized a two-day training course in Milan on September 9-10, 2004 entitled "The Impact of Imprisonment on Family Ties". The event, a Eurochips initiative, was supported by the Bernard van Leer Foundation in The Hague in collaboration with the Fédération des Relais Enfants Parents (FREP) in France. It also received backing from the prison service for the Italian region of Lombardia. The training course, conducted by Alain Bouregba, a psychologist and psychoanalyst and president of FREP, underscored Bambinisenzasbarre's key position as the region's main voice on the issue of prisoners' children. Participants included people working in a variety of sectors within the field: regional prison service agents; prison governors, officers and other staff from San Vittore and Bollate penal establishments; justice ministry officials; social services for adults and juveniles; psychologists; juvenile court officials, and others. It was the first time that many of these people working in various related sectors actually sat in the same room and discussed common issues. Main themes included separation, child development issues and the impact of a parent's imprisonment on development; issues inherent to parenting; difficulties in parenting faced by imprisoned mothers and fathers; supporting imprisoned parents; and supporting children of imprisoned parents. For further information: contact@eurochips.org NORWAY The Norwegian Red Cross, which oversees some thirty visits centers for offenders' families and kin (Norway has forty prison establishments), is launching a new program specifically aimed at children with imprisoned parents. As part of the project, the Red Cross will be carrying out a special training program for volunteers to accompany children on prison visits to see their imprisoned parents. Preparation for the project involves a preliminary awareness-raising campaign for prison personnel and police officers. In Norway, police officers are responsible for certain categories of remand offenders. In researching the program, two Red Cross staff members, Kathinka Steenstrup, visitor service development advisor, and Eva Aarrestad Eriksen, director of children's relief, visited the Fédération des Relais Enfants Parents (FREP) in Montrouge, France. A Eurochips member, FREP has been organizing prison visits for children with incarcerated parents for nearly 20 years, relying on specially trained volunteers to accompany the child. FREP estimates that nearly one-third of children with parents in prison have difficulties maintaining family ties with the imprisoned parent due to family conflict. The Norwegian Red Cross program is scheduled to begin operating in early 2005. For further information: kathinka.steenstrup@redcross.no UNITED KINGDOM England's prisons are being encouraged to hold a special event to bring together prisoners and their families during the month of October. The Family Friendly Prison Challenge has been launched by the London-based association Action for Prisoners' Families, a Eurochips member, in partnership with HM Prison Service and the Department for Education & Skills as part of the tenth anniversary celebrations of the International Year of the Family. To date, over eighty prisons (about two thirds) have indicated that they are likely to be rising to the challenge. All participating prisons will be presented with a certificate at a special event in spring 2005. UNITED KINGDOM Action for Prisoners' Families is holding its Annual General Meeting and Conference at an all-day event in London on November 4. The theme for the day is "Why Be Family Friendly," and guest speakers include Mr. Phil Wheatley, Director General of the Prison Service, and Mrs. Cheryl Gillan, Conservative Party Shadow Minister for Prisons. A panel debate including journalists, civil servants and practitioners is scheduled for the afternoon. Further information about the conference is available from Jaime Eastham: info@actionpf.org.uk. UNITED KINGDOM The prison service for England and Wales has commissioned KIDS VIP to produce a good practice framework for children maintaining contact with their parents in prison. The aim is to set out the benefits of child-friendly prisons, the requirements and the possibilities. There is much good practice available to share , but it is not yet consistent across the prison estate. The new work will build on Children Visiting Prisons: a Good Practice Guide produced in Scotland in 1999.The first few consultative meetings have been held to develop the form of the guide, which aims to be as user friendly as possible and be available next year. It will cover the whole visiting process from arrival at the visitor center outside the prison gate, through to the different types of visit, which children might make. Kids Vip will include good practice from both British prisons, and will also include international references. If you have any ideas you would like included in this exciting document, please do email Kate Philbrick at: k.philbrick1@ntlworld.com EUROPE The September 13 issue of Time magazine (Europe) ran an article about recent trends in philanthropy and how, with many countries facing shrinking government budgets, companies in Europe are increasingly stepping in to back charity projects. Marie-France Blanco and Relais Enfants Parents (REP) of France were featured in the piece, as was the Bernard van Leer Foundation in The Hague. The issue of prisoners' children was underscored, with a first page spread caption describing REP's difficulties garnering initial funding in France for the project 20 years ago until Bernard van Leer Foundation support was found for a nine-year period. To read the full article online: http://www.time.com/time/globalbusiness/article/0,9171,1101040726-665056-1,00.html Milan-based Bambinisenzasbarre, a EUROCHIPS member, organized two "Festa dell'affettività" (Family Ties Days) on June 12 and 26 for children and imprisoned mothers and fathers at San Vittore Prison. The event, organized in collaboration with City Angels (social exclusion support group); Telefono Azzurro and Cooperativa Alice (a social services co-op), took place in the "spazio verde" inside the prison, which includes a small football field where children and fathers could play soccer. Approximately 120 children aged 0 to 14 participated during the two days. Clowns welcomed the children as they arrived, and inside there were a host of activities : painting, karaoke, face-painting. Parents and children were given the opportunity to spend more intimate quality time together as well. A group of imprisoned fathers staged The Little Prince. Refreshments were served. Children received gifts when it was time to leave, and clowns and Bambinisenzasbarre staff members helped ease the trauma often involved in separation. ENGLAND AND WALES As part of the runup to this year's tenth anniversary of the UN International Year of the Family, the National Family & Parenting Institute (NFPI) has been promoting a more "family-friendly" UK and working with a number of other voluntary sector organisations and Department of Education and Skills (DfES) to drive this forward over the past ten years. The main activities for celebrating the year will take place this autumn, and will include Family Learning Week (11-17 October) and Parenting Week (25-31 October). EUROCHIPS member Action for Prisoners' Families (APF) has joined with the NFPI, Campaign for Learning, DfES and HM Prison Service to promote a new campaign underscoring the importance of prisoners maintaining quality contact with their families. The campaign seeks to encourage prisons to organize a family event during October; introduce a new initiative during the year which will tangibly improve the situation for prisoners and their families on a long-term basis; and motivate prisoners to write books for children. APF itself will be aiming to launch three initiatives in the autumn of 2004 : Family Friendly Prisons : Encouraging prisons to run an event in October focused on the needs of the family. Prisons demonstrating that they have done something 'family friendly' will be presented with a certificate of achievement. The certificate, from APF, the NFPI and DfES, would be presented at a special event in early 2005, and initiatives will be promoted in APF's spring newsletter. Award Scheme. Running an award scheme for prisons to introduce intiatives that show real cultural or sustainable change relating to family ties. Up to three categories will be decided upon-eg. environmental change; children's project; information- with one price per category. The scheme is slated to be announced in November with a cut-off date for entries of June 2005. Winners would be announced in late 2005. A judging panel is being set up. Writing competition. A writing competition to be facilitated by the Writers in Prison Network. Prisoners will be asked to write short stories, poems or cartoons aimed at children over 10, on the subject of having a parent in prison. Children's laureate Michael Morpurgo has been approached to head the selection panel. FRANCE In a first, the Relais Enfants Parents-Ile de France (REP-IDF) organized a special Father's Day event on June 23 at Fleury-Mérogis remand prison, in collaboration with ASSODAS (Association for the Support and Development of Socio-Cultural Action at Fleury-Mérogis). Some fifteen fathers and twenty-two children aged from 3 to 11 spent two and a half hours together in a tent put up for the occasion in one of the prison courtyards. There were three clowns -two of whom were inmates-as well as a magician and an accordion player. REP-IDF took charge of contacting the families, transporting the children and organizing refreshments. The event provided a welcome change of venue for fathers and their children, who normally meet in the visits room. Prison staff noted the great level of emotion among participants, underscoring the importance of maintaining family ties between children and imprisoned parents. REP-IDF is seeking to expand the initiative onto a national scale and to include mothers in the event as well. Geneviève Videment, director of Carrefour Solidarité France, which regularly backs initiatives supporting prisoners' children, participated in the event, which was broadcast on French national news. GERMANY During a recent meeting in Bonn organized by the Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft für Straffälligenhilfe, a federal association regrouping associations in Germany working on behalf of people dealing with the justice system, a steering committee focusing on working with prisoners' families explored a series of issues. Criminologist Anne-Marie Klopp* presented the European network EUROCHIPS and underscored the right of children to maintain contact with an imprisoned parent, even if the caretaker parent is not ready for the child to visit the imprisoned parent. According to Klopp, this child's rights perspective is not always implicit when assisting people involved with the justice system, and often raises questions for those working within the field. One participant, for example, raised the issue of what to do when the offense is alleged sexual abuse of children. Another maintained that her job was to support the inmate's partner, and underscored the difficulty in emphasizing the child's rights over the mother's wishes. The work session highlighted the importance of access to information and training of professionals when working with children of imprisoned parents and family ties, as well as parenting support for imprisoned parents. *President of the European Forum, an organization of professionnals specializing in the criminal policy in Europe. For further information : www.europaforum-kriminalpolitik.org NORTHERN IRELAND The BAT Club (Book and Tape Club), launched in June 2004 at Maghaberry Prison by the Northern Ireland Prison Service in partnership with the South Eastern Education and Library Board and Bright Books, aims to promote literacy among imprisoned fathers serving a life sentence and their children and allows fathers in custody to play a role in the development of their children. The father selects a book (assistance is provided for those who have difficulty reading or want guidance in selecting a suitable book) and reads it aloud to produce a tape recording. The book and tape are then lent to the child, who is encouraged to read the book while listening to the recording of the father's voice. In turn, the children are encouraged to record their comments about the book and a message to their father, who in turn listens to the tape. Children in the BAT Club are also encouraged to use their local library. In addition to listing books that the father and child read together, the BAT membership card features a grid where each time a child takes out a book from his or her local library, the librarian can stamp their card. After three months, the child is awarded a £5 book token which can be used to purchase a book through a supplier who is offering discounted rates on books for the children. Maghaberry hopes to roll out the BAT Club to other categories of inmates in September. SWEDEN The Göteborg-based association Solrosen (Sunflower) has become a member of EUROCHIPS. Solrosen is an independent association launched in 2000 to offer support for children and adolescents of parents who are participating in programs of the Swedish Prison and Probation Service, as well as for their relatives. Through its counseling groups, which draw on drama exercises, storytelling, drawing and play and provide continuity and structure, Solrosen aims to boost the child's self-confidence, ease the sense of responsibility for the parent's actions, alleviate feelings of guilt and shame, and help reconcile the often-contradictory emotions toward the parent. Relatives who care for the child are offered the opportunity to join support groups to discuss the same issues as the counselling groups for children and adolescents. Parenting and related matters are also addressed, while incarcerated parents are supported through parent education programs as well as individual and group counseling. In addition, Solrosen provides public information and works to generate awareness and opinion in favour of children and adolescents with incarcerated parents. They are funded primarily by Allmänna Arvsfonden (National Inheritance Fund). Contact: Petra Bostrom. Tel: +46 31 7017380 solrosen@raddningsmissionen.org UNITED STATES The Center for Children of Incarcerated Parents is holding its fourth National Training Institute on July 21-24, 2004 at the Western Justice Center in Pasadena, California. The training program will focus on recruitment, selection, screening, training and supervision of people who work with children of criminal offenders, including staff workers, mentors and other volunteers. It will underscore the Center's research and practical experience, highlighting its developmental approach to the issues. The event will also include two workshops for participants involved in mentoring children of prisoners: 1) Assessment & Screening of Mentees; and 2) Measuring Mentoring Outcomes. Trainers will include Denise Johnston, M.D., founding director of the Center, a child development specialist and a leading national authority on children of criminal offenders; Michael Carlin, coordinator of the FatherRight and Child Custody Advocacy Services [CHICAS] Projects; and Lynette Singleton, the Center's clinical specialist and coordinator of the MotherRight Project, which serves incarcerated mothers in residential, mother-child correctional programs. For further information : www.e-ccip.org or call Tamara Satterwhite at the Center for Children of Incarcerated Parents, 626-449-2470. UNITED STATES The Federal Resource Center for Children of Prisoners, in partnership with the National Endowment for Financial Education, the American Correctional Association, the National Institute for Corrections and the Women's Prison Association, have produced a publication entitled "Reuniting: Money, Family and You; A Guide for Women Leaving Prison." Focus groups were held with women under supervision and staff working with women to ensure a useful and user-friendly document. It contains information about finding a job, locating housing, and reuniting with children. The document, slated for publication in late summer 2004, will be available free of charge. To reserve copies, e-mail alee@cwla.org. Shipping will be in boxes of eighty booklets. (For small, individual orders there may be a shipping and handling charge. For large orders, the shipping and handling may be free as well.) People are encouraged to order large quantities. For additional information : childrenofprisoners@cwla.org The Parent Child 2004-International Conference on the Family, marking the tenth anniversary of the UN International Year of the Family, is taking place in Westminster, London, on June 17-18, 2004. Organized by the National Family and Parenting Institute, the Parenting Education and Support Forum, the National Council for One Parent Families, the Open University, the Trust for the Study of Adolescence and the NSPCC (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children), the conference will focus on family-related research policy and practice issues. Family researchers, policymakers, academics, mental health professionals and others working with families in the UK, Australia and the United States will be participating; parallel sessions on poverty, diversity, parenting and other issues are planned. Featured speakers include Margaret Hodge, UK Minister for Children. Lucy Gampbell, director of Eurochips member Action for Prisoners' Families, is presenting a paper on support needs of prisoners' families and guidelines for professionals working in the field. For further information : www.nfpi.org BELGIUM The Fonds Houtman, a Belgian-based foundation specializing in early childhood issues, is funding twelve various initiatives to help children with imprisoned parents. The actions, to be piloted in nine prisons in French-speaking Belgium, were either prison establishment initiatives or joint initiatives between the latter and the Fonds Houtman. A university research program has also been launched to devise self-evaluation tools for organizations and individuals piloting actions for children separated from an imprisoned parent. A series of recommendations will be drafted, thus providing an overall perspective for current and future work within the field. Recommendations will cover legislative and regulatory matters, material constraints, and preventive action that can be taken to avoid certain difficulties encountered by children with imprisoned parents. For additional information : www.one.be/Houtman/index.htm. FRANCE Relais Enfants-Parents (REP) is piloting workshops for imprisoned fathers at the Centre National d'Observation (CNO), located at Fresnes prison, in May. The CNO houses inmates sentenced to over 10 years for a six-week period to determine how and where the sentence will be executed. According to REP staff member Emmanuel Gallaud, the workshops are being carried out on an experimental basis until July, when the program will be evaluated in collaboration with social workers. The workshops will take place twice a month for a two-hour duration. CNO social workers will determine which inmates will be eligible to participate in the workshops; inmates who have been imprisoned for offenses against their children are not eligible. Each workshop will enable eight detainees to make crafts for their children. Discussions revolving around fatherhood and parenting will seek to reinforce the inmate's identity as a parent. The workshops will also serve as a forum to raise awareness on the various initiatives REP carries out to maintain ties between children and their imprisoned parent, notably the accompaniment of children on prison visits to see the incarcerated parent. FRANCE France's Commission Nationale Consultative des Droits de l'Homme (CNCDH), a human rights advisory body and watchdog group, is backing a study on prisoners' rights, approved March 11, 2004. The study aims to end the legal and judicial void surrounding prisoners and penal establishments while highlighting the basic rights currently in effect at the national and international level. Maintaining family ties, as stipulated in Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, is the focus of one of five key sections in the study. . The CNCDH maintains that all decisions made with respect to sentenced detainees should work to foster family stability, particularly if children are involved; other factors favoring the inmate's re-entry into society (training, employment, etc.) should be taken into account as well. The CNCDH also recommends that remand prisoners for whom investigations have been completed and are awaiting sentencing be incarcerated close to home to facilitate maintaining close family ties. With respect to visits, the CNCDH feels that remand prisoners should be eligible for the same visits schemes as sentenced detainees - extended visits that run several hours or two successive half-days, both during the week and on weekends. The child's best interest must be the prevailing factor in all decisions made concerning the maintaining of family ties between imprisoned parents and their children. Each year in France, between 70,000 and 80,000 children are separated from an imprisoned parent. The imprisonment of parents, notably mothers, with young children must be construed as an exception and, in accordance with EU recommendations, limited to situations in which the mother has harmed her children or is seen as a threat to them. According to the CNCDH, young children living in prisons with their mothers, the age limit of which is currently 18 months, should be allowed to remain with their mothers until age 3, as in some other European countries. Preparation should be made for separation, which needs to be progressive. For further information : www.commission-droits-homme.fr/travauxCncdh/droitsprison.html#0 ITALY Bambini Senza Sbarre of Milan is inaugurating the Stanza Verde, an initiative for children with imprisoned parents spearheaded by the association as part of a more comprehensive parenting initiative for detainees run by Relais Genitori Figli (composed of Caritas; national public health services Asl; and Enaip, a private training foundation). The Stanza Verde, located in Milan's Science and Technology Museum near San Vittore Prison, will offer a place for children with imprisoned parents and their families to wait prior to visiting with the father and mother, which generally requires waiting in line outside the prison for long periods of time, rain or shine. The room is bright and child-friendly, with toys and games and specially trained personnel to help alleviate anxiety and stress among the children. Staff and volunteers can also provide support and information for family members on psychological issues, legal matters and other relevant concerns. During the project's pilot phase, the Stanza Verde will be open on Saturdays from 10am to 2pm, beginning May 8. At San Vittore, an estimated 30 percent of male detainees and 50 percent of female detainees have at least one child. There are over 56,000 people currently imprisoned in Italy; nearly 20,000 have children. NORTHERN IRELAND The maximum-security prison of HMP Maghaberry in Northern Ireland has introduced a new aspect into their Child-Centered |