The Times Australia
Mirvac Harbourside
The Times World News

.

About 43,000 Australian kids have a parent in jail but there is no formal system to support them

  • Written by Catherine Flynn, Senior Lecturer, Department of Social Work, Monash University
About 43,000 Australian kids have a parent in jail but there is no formal system to support them

In Australia, on any given day, about 43,000[1] children have a parent in prison.

We have to use the word “about”, as there is no official process to identify this group of children. There is no specific oversight and no special supports[2]. Despite the state removing their parent, there is no government department responsible for them.

A new parliamentary inquiry has been set to try and fix this. It cannot come soon enough.

Parents in prison

Researchers estimate around half of the adults who end up in prison are parents. So when an adult is arrested and imprisoned, there is a good chance they are somebody’s parent.

A Victorian parliamentary inquiry into children of imprisoned parents was announced just before Christmas last year, after lobbying by independent MP Rod Barton[3]. The report is due by July 2022.

Row of children's toy buggies lined up against a wall.
An inquiry into the children of imprisoned parents is due to report in the middle of the year. Brendan Esposito/AAP

There are some things we already know about children who have a parent in jail. Our recent research[4]into restricted family contact during COVID found children’s mental health suffered considerably as a result of separation from a parent.

We also know they face immediate risks[5] due to the loss of their parent at arrest or imprisonment, such as homelessness, or feelings of abandonment. They are more likely to suffer long-term issues, including poorer health and educational outcomes and increased behavioural and emotional problems.

Read more: Staff and children in preschool and childcare aren't being protected like in schools. We need a national plan[6]

We also know that a parent who goes to jail[7] is more likely to have experienced their own childhood trauma, been involved in family violence, and have higher levels of mental health problems, substance abuse, and disability.

Combined with family separation, these can have an indelible impact on their children. Living with poverty, stress and instability, alongside stigma and a lack of community understanding and support are common occurrences.

Children ignored

In 2015 research[8] with colleagues, we looked at existing policies around arrest, sentencing and imprisonment, and spoke with parents in prison, as well as police, magistrates and legal representatives.

It was clear that children are not taken into account by the adult justice system, from the time of their parent’s arrest, through to their release from prison. There are no processes or protocols to consider or support children, and professional staff are not guided or obliged to respond.

Read more: At least 100,000 children have a parent who is arrested each year. There are no proper systems to protect them.[9]

Most children are cared for informally[10], within their nuclear or extended families. These carers carry many additional burdens and costs[11], with no recognition or formal support.

So this means basic food and shelter are not guaranteed for these children at the point of parental arrest and sentencing. Although some officials go far beyond[12] their prescribed role to ensure the well-being of children, this is haphazard at best. As one police officer told us during a recent study:

there’s no notice up in the custody area ‘does your offender have children?’. The question remains, why not?

Decades of warning

For more than 20 years, researchers[13] have been calling for governments to identify and meet the needs of these children and families. These calls have been echoed by a 1997 NSW parliamentary committee[14] and a 2005 report to[15] the South Australian attorney-general’s department.

Child holding the hand of an adult.
Most children with a parent in prison are cared for informally by a family member.great. Joe Castro/AAP

Another NSW parliamentary inquiry[16] has been underway since 2019, with the final report due soon.

Yet, nothing has changed.

We have seen positive moves in other service sectors (such as mental health, alcohol and drug services and family violence) towards a more “child aware” approach. This begins with a basic recognition that adult service users are often parents, and their dependent children are indirectly part of that adult service system. The next steps have been to educate staff[17]in those services about “seeing” and including their needs in their work.

In other countries, including the United States[18], England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Sweden and Norway there have been innovations during arrests and in prisons. For example, in Sweden, when arrested, people are asked about any child or care arrangements. This provides children with a basic minimum standard of care at a time when they need it most.

Meanwhile, Australia’s criminal justice sector is lagging behind, despite repeated warnings. We need to catch up.

References

  1. ^ about 43,000 (www.sbs.com.au)
  2. ^ special supports (www.flatout.org.au)
  3. ^ independent MP Rod Barton (rodbarton.com.au)
  4. ^ recent research (shineforkids.org.au)
  5. ^ immediate risks (www.researchgate.net)
  6. ^ Staff and children in preschool and childcare aren't being protected like in schools. We need a national plan (theconversation.com)
  7. ^ who goes to jail (www.aihw.gov.au)
  8. ^ research (bridges.monash.edu)
  9. ^ At least 100,000 children have a parent who is arrested each year. There are no proper systems to protect them. (theconversation.com)
  10. ^ informally (bridges.monash.edu)
  11. ^ additional burdens and costs (bridges.monash.edu)
  12. ^ go far beyond (www.researchgate.net)
  13. ^ researchers (bridges.monash.edu)
  14. ^ NSW parliamentary committee (www.parliament.nsw.gov.au)
  15. ^ report to (apps.aifs.gov.au)
  16. ^ NSW parliamentary inquiry (www.parliament.nsw.gov.au)
  17. ^ educate staff (www.copmi.net.au)
  18. ^ United States (www.theiacp.org)

Read more https://theconversation.com/about-43-000-australian-kids-have-a-parent-in-jail-but-there-is-no-formal-system-to-support-them-176039

Mirvac Harbourside

Times Magazine

YepAI Joins Victoria's AI Trade Mission to Singapore for Big Data & AI World Asia 2025

YepAI, a Melbourne-based leader in enterprise artificial intelligence solutions, announced today...

Building a Strong Online Presence with Katoomba Web Design

Katoomba web design is more than just creating a website that looks good—it’s about building an onli...

September Sunset Polo

International Polo Tour To Bridge Historic Sport, Life-Changing Philanthropy, and Breath-Taking Beau...

5 Ways Microsoft Fabric Simplifies Your Data Analytics Workflow

In today's data-driven world, businesses are constantly seeking ways to streamline their data anal...

7 Questions to Ask Before You Sign IT Support Companies in Sydney

Choosing an IT partner can feel like buying an insurance policy you hope you never need. The right c...

Choosing the Right Legal Aid Lawyer in Sutherland Shire: Key Considerations

Legal aid services play an essential role in ensuring access to justice for all. For people in t...

The Times Features

Understanding Centrelink Investment Property Valuation: A Guide for Australian Property Owners

Introduction Owning an investment property in Australia can bring financial stability — but it al...

The climate crisis is fuelling extreme fires across the planet

We’ve all seen the alarming images. Smoke belching from the thick forests[1] of the Amazon. Sp...

Applications open for Future Cotton Leaders Program 2026

Applications have opened for the 2026 intake for the Australia Future Cotton Leaders Program (AFCL...

Optimising is just perfectionism in disguise. Here’s why that’s a problem

If you regularly scroll health and wellness content online, you’ve no doubt heard of optimisin...

Macquarie Bank Democratises Agentic AI, Scaling Customer Innovation with Gemini Enterprise

Macquarie’s Banking and Financial Services group (Macquarie Bank), in collaboration with Google ...

Do kids really need vitamin supplements?

Walk down the health aisle of any supermarket and you’ll see shelves lined with brightly packa...

Why is it so shameful to have missing or damaged teeth?

When your teeth and gums are in good condition, you might not even notice their impact on your...

Australian travellers at risk of ATM fee rip-offs according to new data from Wise

Wise, the global technology company building the smartest way to spend and manage money internat...

Does ‘fasted’ cardio help you lose weight? Here’s the science

Every few years, the concept of fasted exercise training pops up all over social media. Faste...