All research and evidence on NICCO is reviewed using a Quality Assessment Tool (QAT) developed by the University of Huddersfield and Barnardo's.
Research and evidence is assessed in four key areas: Methodological Quality, Child-Centredness, Relevance to Policy and Strategy, and Relevance to Practice with offender's children. This ensures that items on the NICCO website are as useful as possible to academics, practitioners, commissioners and other professionals. For more information about the development of the QAT or to review research in order to list it on NICCO, please see the QAT webpage where you can download the Tool, Guidebook and a short step-by-step 'How To' document. Please contact us to submit quality assessed research on to NICCO.
Click on the icons to see a full list of items which have been awarded a standard icon or icon+ (for items which have scored particularly highly) in each key area:
Results 7 - 12 of 38
This Big Lottery funded study looks at resettlement of fathers. The article considers previous studies which have shown that parental imprisonment is a risk factor in the development in familial relationships and conversely considers the benefits to viewing families with strong ties as a resource for protecting children of prisoners and reducing reoffending.
The study is the first longitudinal study in the UK and Europe to investigate the positive and negative outcomes for parents and children using data collected from them. It considers the quality of family relationships, contact during imprisonment, communication and problem solving, parenting and care-giving, social support networks, stigmatisation, finances, employment, housing, participation in support programmes, health issues, social behaviour and other factors. The aim of the research is to increase knowledge of such processes and to assist the National Offender Management Service and third sector to develop more effective interventions for imprisoned fathers, their (ex)partners and their children.
See Risk and protective factors in the resettlement of imprisoned fathers below:
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This Big Lottery Funded study focuses on under-researched groups of children and the kin carers who look after them when their parents are unable to (one reason being that their parent(s) are in prison).
The official number of children in England referred by children's services to live with kin is less than 7,000. However, those living "informally" with friends or relative carers as privately arranged by family is estimated at 200-300,000 in England and Wales. The report looks at how well the needs of these children and their carers are met and examines what services or financial support may be needed to enhance the children's development and reduce negative impact on the family. The study looks at 2001 Census Data to analyse characteristics of children and kin care households. In addition standardised and measured interviews were conducted with 80 8-18 year olds, who live under informal kinship care, to uncover their views about what would make their outcomes better. Only 8% of children in this study have a parent in prison, however, many of the issues uncovered are the same across kinship caring households. Interviews were also conducted with the carers. The aim of the research for Buttle UK is to influence national policy and local practice to improve circumstances and outcomes for children and in turn their informal kinship carers.
See The Poor Relations below:
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This report was developed by Barnardo's to support links and partnership working between professionals in the criminal justice system (CJS) and in children and family services. It concentrates on women offenders and makes recommendations on how to develop 'joined up' working between services which focus on the offender and services which focus on the child and family. The report highlights the learning points from ECHO+, a Barnardo's project carried out at Eden House, a National Offender Management Service women community service in Bristol. The learning points include acknowledging the different cultures of CJS agencies and children and families services, developing multi-agency partnership arrangements, developing pathways from custody settings into local children and families' services, and improving communication between services. Examples of practice from other services are also included in the report, which demonstrate innovative and joined up working. There are also checklists for CJS agencies to work in a family appropriate way, and for children's centres to ensure good practice. These are featured in the appendices.
See Developing Pathways below:
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This report looks at and aims to raise awareness of the realities of having a parent in prison.
In-depth interviews were conducted with Mothers and Children with a Father in prison. The findings are analysed within the five Every Child Matters outcomes which include economic achievement, enjoying and achieving, being healthy, staying safe and making positive contributions. Challenges around maintaining family ties are also found and discussed here. The report holds many quotes from the Mothers and Children interviewed. Implications for policy and practice are highlighted, such as the recording of children of offenders and the courts' responsibility to take children's wellbeing into consideration when sentencing.
See Every Night You Cry below:
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This is an overview of best practice in provision of services for children and families of offenders in Sweden and the United States.
The report reviews case studies which reflect on different apsects and stages of the countries' respective criminal justice systems (e.g. arrest, remand, court, sentencing, visits, support of children in women's prisons, parenting programmes, support for children of prisoners in the community and release) and how they might affect children of imprisoned parents. The case studies reviewed are compared to research in England and Wales and child centered policy and practice recommendations are made for the stages and aspects of the criminal justice system (noted above).
See Hidden Children below:
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This report is an evaluation of the effectiveness of the family support worker (FSW) role (which evolved from a partnership between Pact, who offer prison based support and Safe Ground who offer family relationships programmes to prisoners and families), which was piloted within 4 English prisons between 2009 and 2010.
The aim of this was to test the potential for developing a viable responsive casework service to prisoners, their children, families and supporters, the programme was funded by the National Offender Management Service (NOMS, Ministry of Justice) and the former Department of Children, Schools and Families (now Department for Education) The extent of the FSWs potential is uncovered by reporting on quantitative and qualitative data gained from FSWs, prison staff, other professionals, prisoners, their families and supporters. The data is also used to inform the framework for a possible national model. Key findings are that there is a need for FSW services to be tailored depending on prison characteristics. Half of the 928 service users (SU's) reached, only required one liaison with the FSW. There was a wide diversity of SU's e.g. prisoner type, family/supporter type, gender and ethnic origin. More than half of all cases involved a referral to other agencies. The large majority of SU need was around Prisoner and family contact, followed by Emotional and mental health, Children and Parenting as well as Money management. All FSW services were highly rated and valued. Prison staff also reported that FSWs contributed to prisoners' stability. The evaluation concludes that there is a high need for the FSW role and appropriate training and customisation so that it can be extended across the prison estate.
See this report on Prison based family support below:
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