The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child is an international treaty setting out the rights that children and young people should be entitled to.
Those countries that have ratified the treaty (which includes the UK) are bound to it by international law. Article 9 is of particular relevance to children with a parent in prison, as it states that children should only be separated from their parents when it is in the child's best interest. Furthermore, where the state is responsible for the separation, the child should be given information and has the right to maintain personal relations and direct contact on a regular basis, if in the child's best interest. Other articles of particular relevance are article 12, which states that children's views should be heard and considered; article 7 states that children have the right to know and be cared for by parents and finally, article 5 establishes that children have the right to benefit from the guidance of a parent.
See UN Convention on the Rights of the Child below:
