What’s to become of them? Paternal imprisonment and its consequences for children’s developmental systems.

• In Event: An International Perspective on Children of Incarcerated Parents. Panel organized by the Spinhuis Center

Abstract

Parental imprisonment is increasingly recognised as having a detrimental impact on offspring, yet we know little about the underlying causes of this risk factor. This paper draws on interviews with 42 caregivers of 86 children with an imprisoned father in Queensland (Australia) to examine how children’s developmental systems are altered during the course of their father’s imprisonment. We identify: disruptions to children’s living arrangements and schooling; shifts in peer and adult networks; caregiver wellbeing and family support; and the presence or absence of adults with an interest in the care and wellbeing of the child. We also examine the degree to which paternal imprisonment brings children into contact with criminal justice and child welfare institutions. At the broadest level of children’s social ecology, we examine children’s experiences of social exclusion relative to other Australian families. We use these findings to identify the barriers and challenges facing families of prisoners and draw on developmental and life-course theories to understand children’s responses to paternal imprisonment. We conclude by identifying opportunities to locate appropriate services and support within children’s developmental systems.

Authors

• Susan Dennison, Griffith University

• Holly Smallbone, Griffith University