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 25 - 30 of 38
This report is part of the a series of Spotlight reports, published as part of the NSPCC's All Babies Count campaign.
All Babies Count aims to raise awareness of the importance of pregnancy and the first year of life to a child's development. The report looks at babies affected by the criminal justice system, and argues that having a parent or a significant adult involved in the criminal justice system should be treated as a strong marker of additional support needs in a child's life, beginning at conception. Babies affected by parental offending and the criminal justice system often encounter risks that could affect their care and development - because those involved in the criminal justice system often have additional needs, such as poor mental health, that can impact on the care a baby receives; because the criminal justice system can disrupt relationships, particularly if parents and infants are separated; and because the imprisonment of pregnant women and babies in Mother and Baby Units can impact on the health and wellbeing of infants.
The report highlights that both universal health and early years services will not necessarily be aware that a baby has a parent in prison, and community criminal justice agencies working with offenders will not necessarily be aware that someone is a parent. There is also a focus on the UK's Mother and Baby Units (MBUs), with questions raised about how best to meet the needs of infants when their mothers are imprisoned. While MBUs may reduce the trauma of separation for children, it may mean living in an environment that is detrimental to child development. Finally, the report highlights examples of good practice, and makes 6 key recommendations for the identification, consideration and support for babies affected by the criminal justice system and their parents.
See An unfair sentence below:
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You must purchase this peer reviewed article from the American Psychological Association's PsychNet to view the entire article or request it for free from the authors via Researchgate.
Although written about American research, the finding from this article can be used by professionals everywhere. The National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being shows that approximately 1 in 8 children who are investigated by child welfare services (CWS) agencies for mistreatment have parents who were recently arrested. These children are disproportionatley younger than other children who come into contact with CWS, more likely to be African American and far more likely to be living within the care system. Despite the fact that 2 in 5 children age 2 and older with arrested parents had clincally significant emotional or behavioral problems, only 1 in 10 received mental health care. Parents in the study varied in characteristics by race but rates of substance abuse, serious mental illness, domestic violence, and problems meeting basic needs were all higher among arrested parents than among other parents. Purchase Parental Arrest and Child Welfare Services Agencies on Psychnet.
Request free access to Parental Arrest and Child Welfare Services Agencies on Researchgate below:
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This is an evaluation of Barnardo's Community Support for Offenders' Families (CSOF) service.
The evaluation looks at the pilot stage of three CSOF services, based in Bristol, the Isle of Wight and South Wales. The services worked with local agencies in each area, to raise awareness of the needs of families affected by parental imprisonment and offending and develop practice and a strategic response. In addition the services also provided direct support to families. The evaluation uses data from all three CSOF services, and seeks to determine if CSOF contributed to improved outcomes for offenders' families, influenced the local service response towards offenders' families and increased professional awareness of the support needs of offenders' families in each locality. The evaluation concluded: 1. The community-based model of family support and service development was effective 2. The combination of a child and family focused project worker and offender manager within each service was an important factor in reaching and supporting families 3. Awareness raising, training and wider service development were essential elements of the service 4. Identification of children of offenders continues to be ad hoc and further work is required at a national and local level to build a comprehensive picture of need.
See the evaluation of CSOF (various documents including full report, summary and information to support offender management practice) below:
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This paper considers the changes to the incentives and earned privileges (IEP) scheme in adult male prisons that took place in April 2013 throughout England and Wales, specifically how extra visits and family days continue to be offered as a reward for good behaviour.
This is in comparison to the female estate where visiting arrangements are detached from the IEP scheme, due to recognition that incentivising contact is incompatible with meeting the needs of imprisoned mothers and their children. The paper argues that a similar approach should be adopted within the male estate, promoting the rights of the child. This paper presents findings from in-depth interviews with families affected by parental imprisonment in England and Wales conducted as part of the COPING research project led by the University of Huddersfield. The COPING study examined the impact of parental incarceration on the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people and involved partners from across four countries; Partners Of Prisoners and Families Support Group (POPS) acted as the UK partner.
See Incentivising Prison Visits below:
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This illustrated report is a summary of a study funded by the EU and the Egmont Foundation from October 2009-May 2011 and is based on findings from research conducted in Denmark, Italy, Poland and Northern Ireland.
It focuses on whether services such as police and courts take children's rights into account at each stage of the criminal justice system, from arrest to release. This is achieved by looking through the eyes of the children affected, their parents, police officers, prison officers and social workers; and incudes practice examples and direct quotes. Conclusions are drawn which indicate the need for change across Europe in penal institutions, police services and elsewhere with regards to implementing more initiatives which recognise the rights and wellbeing of children with parents in prison.
Please download Children of Imprisoned Parents below:
This is the first European Journal of Parental Imprisonment from network COPE.
In the wake of the 25th anniversary of the UN Declaration on the Rights of the Child, articles in this journal consider European-wide and country-specific policy, legal and practice developments, and discourse from a children's rights perspective. Articles include: - 'Introduction Children of Prisoners Europe: pathways to change' by Liz Ayre - 'Child rights in post-Lisbon Europe, what about children of imprisoned parents?' by Ria Wolleswinkel - 'The role (actual and potential) of the EU in enhancing the rights of children of prisoners: legal and policy perspectives' by Helen Stalford - 'Protecting children of imprisoned parents against violence: the role of the EU' by Olivia Lind Haldorsson & Rebecca OÕDonnell - 'The growing momentum of a child rights agenda in the European Union' by Deirdre de Burca - 'Rights of children of incarcerated parents: towards more procedural safeguards' by Ton Liefaard - 'Putting access to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child into the hands of children of prisoners' by Laurel Townhead & Rachel Brett - 'Mothers in prison: the sentencing of mothers and the rights of the child' Rona Epstein - 'Child rights: some long-term perspectives' by Oliver Robertson Please download the European Journal of Parental Imprisonment below:
