Directory of Research

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:

Child-Centredness

Relevance to Policy

Methodological Quality

Relevance to Practice

73. Helping Children Cope with the Trauma of Parental Arrest
This report from the US explores the impact that parental arrest can have on children, particularly with regards to the long-term trauma this can cause. The report states that children whose mother is arrested (and subsequently imprisoned) are more likely to suffer than those whose father is arrested. In Ohio, it was found that four out of ten boys aged between 14-17 years, whose mother had been imprisoned, had themselves been arrested. The report continues to highlight the 'Chronic...
Click here

74. The Effects of Parental Imprisonment on Children
This chapter of Crime and Justice: a Review of Research written by top researchers in the field starts on the premise that there is little known about whether parental imprisonment causes problems (known as risk factors) such as anti-social behaviour, offending, mental health problems, drug abuse, school failure and unemployment. This peer-reviewed research looks at parental imprisonment being the cause of these poor outcomes because of the strain of parent/child separation, stigma etc and...

75. Juvenile Offenders as Fathers: Perceptions of Fatherhood, Crime and Becoming an Adult
This peer reviewed American study seeks to investigate the relationship between parental bonds and desistance from crime. The study uses in-depth interviews with seven incarcerated teenage fathers with the aim to uncover their views of their responsibilities toward their children, relationships with their childrenÕs mothers and prospects for future criminal activity. The results show that incarcerated fathers take their parental roles seriously and consider their children to be a...
Click here

76. Public health initiative at a young offenders institue
There are one in four prisoners aged 17-21 with children who often have limited experience of positive parenting themselves. This article considers the experiences of the men in Aylesbury Young Offenders Institute. Whilst completing parenting classes they expressed a desire to become actively involved in caring for their children. Furthermore they stated that they would like to learn parenting skills with their partner and their family instead of alone. Health visitors assisted with the...
Click here

77. More than Parents in Prison: The Broader Overlap Between the Criminal Justice and Child Welfare Systems
Although this peer reviewed research is written about children and families in the US it can be learned from by readers everywhere. There has been a dramatic rise in rates of imprisonment over the past 20 years and the children of these imprisoned people have become an increasing area of interest. However, these children are only a subgroup of children which child protection agencies encounter as having parents involved in the criminal justice system (CJS). The National Survey of Child and...
Click here

78. Parental Incarceration Among Adolescents Receiving Mental Health Services
You need access to Springer Link to access this article in the Journal of Child and Family studies or to buy or rent it. Although this is research into adolescents in the U.S, it can be learned from by interested parties any where. The US Bureau of Justice Statistics estimates that one in 50 young people in the US has a parent in prison in 1999 and research shows that these children are more likely to experience emotional and behavioural difficulties. This peer-reviewed study uses a sample...
Click here

Our Partner

The Centre is delivered by Barnardo’s in partnership with His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS).
NICOO Partners
NICCO Supporting all professionals to work with offenders’ children and their families
Prisoners Families Helpline Freephone Prisoners Families Helpline Freephone info

Subscribe for updates

Registered office: Tanners Lane, Barkingside, Ilford, Essex IG6 1QG. VAT number 507477337
© The National Information Centre on Children of Offenders 2018, Privacy & Cookies