Incarcerated Parents

Preparing for sentencing | Ways to Support Children

Barbed wire on the roof of a building against a clear blue sky.

How To Prepare

The role of incarcerated parent can be a difficult and challenging experience to navigate, therefore the information provided here is intended for those who are facing a prison sentence, as well as for those who are returning home. Our hope is to provide resources and details that may make the processes associated with your experience somewhat easier for you and your loved ones during this time of separation.

 

When a parent is separated from their child, their ability to be involved in their child’s life may be limited. However, despite the separation, there are ways in which a parent may continue to support their child. And during a parent’s incarceration, that support may be more important than ever before. Here you will find some frequently asked questions (FAQ) with links to answers that are intended to be helpful for you and your family as you deal with the experience of having a loved one in prison or jail. Many of these questions are shared by other children with incarcerated parents.

Resources

Incarcerated Parent

Family Law Handbook

A resource for people in Connecticut's prison system. Topics: Children, Child Support, Marriage, Divorce, and Wills.

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Tips from a Father in Prison

Advice on keeping emotional connection with your child while incarcerated. Helpful for moms too!

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Tips on How to Work with your Lawyer

10 helpful tips on how to work with your lawyer

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Visiting

Why Maintain Relationships?

Potential benefits of visitation for children and the incarcerated parent.

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Preparing a Child for a Prison Visit

Find some suggested strategies for an incarcerated parent and/or caregiver to prepare a child for visitation

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Visiting Mom or Dad

A Development Guide for preparing children for prison visits (Infants-School Age).

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Supporting Kids

What to Tell Children When a Parent or Family Member Goes to Prison

Connecticut-based organization, Families in Crisis, offers helpful suggestions for this difficult question.

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Visting Tips for Families: Supporting Children Visiting their Parents

Provides tips and information for caregivers and custodial parents on helping children understand and gain positive results from visiting an incarcerated parent.

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Tips for Families

Communication tips for the incarcerated and their families.

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Questions Children Ask

There are 4 main questions that children ask or want to ask their incarcerated parents.

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Telling the Children

A variety of scenarios and methods to assist with addressing the matter of parental incarceration with children

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Common Stress Points for Children

A parent’s involvement in the criminal justice system often creates unexpected emotions that challenge established coping strategies.

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Child Welfare

CIP Mythbusters: Child Welfare

Myths and facts regarding child welfare.

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CIP Mythbusters: Social Security

Myths and facts regarding social security.

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Children in Foster Care with Parents in Federal Prison

A toolkit for child welfare agencies, federal prisons, and residential reentry centers.

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CIP Mythbusters: Parental Arrests

Myths and facts regarding parental arrests.

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CIP Mythbusters: TANF Eligibility

Myths and facts regarding TANF eligibility.

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CIP Mythbusters: Medicaid

Myths and facts regarding Medicaid.

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CIP Mythbusters: SNAP Eligibility

Myths and facts regarding SNAP eligibility.

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Contact Us

University of Connecticut
Institute for Municipal & Regional Policy

School of Public Policy
Hartford Times Building, Suite 443
10 Prospect Street
Hartford, Connecticut 06103

ctcip@uconn.edu

Quick Links

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Chip created by Jim Soyka