Programs for First Nations' Families Experiencing Parental Incarceration: A Realist Synthesis

• In Event: International Reentry Approaches and Strategies

Abstract

The impacts of parental incarceration on the family and community are highly contextual. Adverse consequences are concentrated and intensified in minority communities that are over-represented in correctional facilities. Service providers supporting families are tasked with providing complex interventions for complex issues with empirical research providing little understanding of “what works” in supporting families. This presentation demonstrates how service delivery for families experiencing parental incarceration can be strengthened by synthesising the literature for program theory integrity and theory-driven evaluations. The presentation focuses on a program specifically designed for First Nations families in Australia experiencing parental incarceration. The authors used the methodology of a realist synthesis to examine two areas; first, the literature about parental incarceration specifically focusing on the mechanisms of programs designed to support families experiencing parental incarceration; and second the literature about factors and contexts of First Nations families that would impact programs outcomes. As this presentation explores, there are three predominant factors to consider: supporting positive family relationships, strengthening cultural identity, and ensuring adequate and culturally appropriate access to services.

Authors

• Krystal Lockwood, Griffith University

• Susan Dennison, Griffith University

• Anna Stewart, Griffith University

• Lisa Broidy, Griffith University / University of New Mexico

• Troy Allard, Griffith University

• Nick Tilley, University College London, UK