Understanding the needs of families affected by parental offending: undertaking effective assessments and developing informed support plans Polly.wright@barnardos.org.uk

Understanding the pressure that a parent/carer be experiencing

Impact on parent/carers Support needs can vary depending on: Emotional resilience Physical and emotional wellbeing Level of independence: financial and practical Family/community support networks Nature of the offence Childcare responsibilities Relationship with children/parenting skills The stage at which the family member is at in the offender’s journey. Their culture, language or ethnicity. Media coverage and community response Relationship with offending family member

Supporting parents/carers Support needs Financial support Housing support Kinship care support Employment Childcare Healthcare (mental, emotional &physical) Parenting Relationship guidance Understanding CJS

Approach with parents/carers Non-judgemental and understanding. Be persistent – may take time to build trusting relationship. Listen to and acknowledge their own story. Recognise the difference between the information that you need to know and the information that you want to know. Undertake necessary safeguarding checks. Provide support and identify actions in manageable, realistic steps (do not add to the pressure!).

Developing a support plan for a parent/carer Area of support Outcome to achieve Action/s By who? When/ where Information about the prison     Feel confident about what visiting my husband in prison will be like Mother to read Ormiston leaflet about prison visit process and follow links provided by worker . Note down any questions that she still has. Worker to find out who runs the visit centre at the prison and find out what they offer in terms of family support Mum  Worker At home this week This week

Impact on children The impact on children, might vary over time and become more apparent at certain points: When a family member is arrested When a family member is attending court/standing trial When they find out about a family member’s imprisonment Prior to or directly after visiting a family member in prison When there are special events such as birthdays, father’s/mother’s days There is a home visit by the family member in prison A family member is released from prison

Presenting signs of impact on children Moodiness Aggression Chattering Bullying Difficulty with peers Appearing withdrawn Lack of concentration/tiredness Lack of interest in work Antagonism towards authority figures Bedwetting Separation anxiety Self harm/suicidal ideation Substance misuse

Supporting children Children may need support to: identify and share their feelings manage their own behaviour and feelings answer questions and address their anxieties maintain contact with their family member manage relationships with their peers and wider community cope with changes in family/home environment

Questions children may want answered Why their family member was sent to prison. What happens at court? Can I go? What does it mean? Will other people know what has happened? What does family member’s actions mean for them? Does that mean they are ‘bad too? Does family member still love them? How long is their family member is going to prison for?

Questions continued Can maintain contact with the family member, how they will do this and how often? What it will be like for the family member in prison – what is their bedroom like? Are they safe? What will they eat? What will they do? What is the visiting process like? What will it be like when family member comes home? Will they be different? Will they go away again?

Emotional Containment “If you do nothing but strive for the deepest possible understanding of a child and if you communicate that understanding, that experience can be life-changing” (Kahn, 1991)

Developing a support plan for a child/young person Area of support Outcome to achieve Action/s By who? When/ where Remembering Dad    Have ways to think about Dad and feel happy Start to think about happy things I have done with Dad that I can put in my memory box  Find a box to bring to next session that we can decorate as a ‘memory box’ Sam  Worker At home this week This week