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:

This short report is a strategic guide for local authorities in supporting vulnerable women with multiple needs. Data for the report is drawn from a literature review and three seminars attended by local and regional leaders and women with direct experience of support services. The report calls for an integrated approach to service delivery, ensuring both prevention and early intervention for a group whose needs are frequently overlooked. Whilst the focus of the report is on overall local...
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This short inquiry explores the impact on children of witnessing a home raid by police. Through exisiting research, informal interviews with experts, formal interviews with families and data requests to both Police and the NSPCC the report provides a conscise summary of an area in need of greater attention. The inquiry suggests a number of recommendations for practice, specifically for Police, Charities and Academics, highlighting the urgent need for more to be done to protect such children... Click here
This paper is a reflective piece, outlining how work to support the children and families of prisoners in the North East has developed over the last 10 years. The article can be accessed by subscription to the Probation Journal. Read for free below:
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This article argues parental incarceration during childhood adversley affects multiple life outcomes for children as they move into adulthood. Using propensity score matching analyses of National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health data the study investigated the effects of parental incarceration on both early young adulthood (18-14) and late young adulthood (26-34). The study identified a number of common negative outcomes at both stages including criminal behaviour, illegal drug use,...
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This report reviews learning from the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust Prison Reform Fellowships conducted from 2010 to 2015. The overarching theme of the five reports is 'connections' with this edition focusing on family relationships. The review covers 6 key observations made by fellows visiting a number of prison institutions across Europe the U.S and Australia, along with examples of applied learning. The authors hope the observations highlighted in the review will provide...
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This short report outlines learning points from visits to organisations and projects working with offenders and their families in prisons across Croatia, Belgium, The Netherlands and Italy. Through observations collected during fieldwork the report aims to highlight examples of best practice in these countries in order to inform and develop the work of organisations seeking to strengthen family ties between prisoners and their familes in the UK. Download the report below:

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The Centre is delivered by Barnardo’s in partnership with Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS).
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