Supporting Children of Incarcerated Parents
Parental incarceration in Minnesota and US
An estimated 1 out of 6 youth in Minnesota have an incarcerated or previously incarcerated parent, making parental incarceration one of the most frequently reported Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) for this population (MN Student Survey, 2022).
- Among the 2.3 million people incarcerated in the U.S., nearly one-third of them are incarcerated in local county jails. In addition, over 10.6 million people are admitted to a county jail each year, including individuals who are awaiting trial.
- In Minnesota, 22% of rural and 20% of township youth experienced Parental Incarceration and 16% of city and 14% of suburban youth according to 2019 MSS data.
- An estimated two-thirds of adults in Minnesota jail are parents with minor children, most lived with one of their minor children before their arrest, and a majority are interested in participating in parenting education.
Jails can support families impacted by the legal system through policies, programs, and resources offered in the jail, and by connecting them to a range of community-based services to meet their needs.
Minnesota model jail practices learning community
The Minnesota model jail practices learning community aims to improve parent-child relationships, reduce recidivism, increase child wellbeing, and improve public safety.
Program background
The model jail practices learning community is designed to promote and expand services in local jails and communities to support incarcerated people and their minor children. This work is guided by the National Institute of Corrections, Model Practices for Parents in Prisons and Jails: Reducing Barriers to Family Connections (July 2019) (PDF).
The MN Department of Health and the University of Minnesota partner to facilitate this multidisciplinary learning community that engages jail facilities and community partners at the state and local levels to help implement policy, systems, and environmental changes that benefit children of incarcerated parents and their families. Quarterly meeting with local jails and partners to learn best practices and share resources.
Five focus areas to improve the jail environment
The MN model jail Practices learning community builds capacity with local jail facilities and partners by sharing lessons learned and expanding the impact and reach across the state.
There are five pillars of activity that guide the learning community efforts:
- Providing evidence-based parenting education classes.
- Building community coalitions and partnerships.
- Providing staff and partner training.
- Leveraging state agency partnerships.
- Implementing other model jail practices such as improving visiting environment and intake practices.
Current jail learning community partners
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is expanding the Minnesota model jail learning community to jails and community partners in more than 14 counties across Minnesota.
The overall goals of the Minnesota model jail learning community are to:
- Establish a statewide network of jails to enhance and scale model jail practices that strengthen families until these practices become standard statewide.
- For children and families to increase the quantity and quality of parent-child interactions during and after incarceration.
- Improve the social, emotional, and mental wellbeing of children and youth with an incarcerated parent.
In 2023, the Minnesota state legislature added funding to the model jail practices learning community through the Healthy Beginnings, Healthy Families Act. These efforts are also supported by a three-year federal grant from the Department of Justice, OJJDP Second Chance Act (October 2023-2026).
Partial funding for this effort was provided by the Center for Leadership Education in Maternal and Child Public Health at the University of Minnesota. The Center is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Learn more about correctional facilities supporting incarcerated parents.
Community partners
| Organization | Contact |
|---|---|
| Al-Maa'uun* | info@almaauun.org |
| Damascus Way Reentry Center* | Josiah.callaghan@damascusway.com |
| Global Fatherhood Foundation* | info@globalfatherhoodfoundation.org |
| Ostara Initiative* | info@mnprisondoulaproject.org |
*Funding provided by the Minnesota Healthy Beginnings Healthy Family Act 2023.
Resources for parents and families
Programs and supports
- Sesame Street in Communities - Coping with Incarceration
- Minnesota Prison Doula Project
- Resilience Beyond Incarceration
- 2022 Caregiver Guide (PDF), Virginia Department of Corrections
- The Literacy Link - Resources for parents/caregivers
- Support Children with Parents affected by the Criminal Legal System: Minnesota Parenting Inside Out (PDF)
- Project Avary
- Connect to Services for Minnesota families through Minnesota Department of Health:
Scholarships
- ScholarCHIPS provides college scholarships and a support network for children of incarcerated parents, inspiring them to complete their college education.
- Ava’s Grace Scholarship Foundation award scholarships to children with parents incarcerated in the federal prison system.
- The Children Impacted by Crime Scholarship benefits the children of inmates and children victimized by crime.
- Give Something Back is a mentoring and college scholarship organization that serves students who have faced economic hardship and other adversity, including the incarceration of a parent or placement in the foster care system.
Research
Minnesota youth with an incarcerated parent have increased risk of poor mental health and illness, substance abuse, and poor academic outcomes.
- Strengthening Families Affected by Incarceration
- Chemical Use Among Youth with Incarcerated Parents in Minnesota (PDF)
- Academic Outcomes Among Youth with Incarcerated Parents in Minnesota (PDF)
- Health and Health Care Utilization Among Youth Experiencing Homelessness and Parental Incarceration in Minnesota (PDF)
- Parents in Minnesota Jails and their Minor Children (PDF)
- Parental Incarceration Among Youth in Minnesota
- Parental Incarceration and Child Development: Considerations for Physicians(PDF)
- The Cross-Center Collaboration on the Health of Justice-Involved Women and Children Research
Resources for Jails
Trainings
Two MNLET courses for county jail staff in Minnesota
In partnership with the Minnesota Department of Health and the University of Minnesota Department of Pediatrics, the Minnesota Sheriffs’ Association has created two new courses called Incarcerated Parents and Their Children. This training is a two-part series. The goal of this training is for jail staff and administrators to have a better understanding of how parental incarceration impacts children. Courses are available for all Minnesota county jail staff on Minnesota Leadership Education & Training (MNLET).
- Part 1 overview: How Trauma Disrupts Child Development
This training is focused on the basics of child development and how adversity and trauma can disrupt optimal child development. - Part 2 overview: Developmental Considerations for Jail Staff and Jail Administrators
This training highlights considerations and action steps that jails can take to welcome children and youth in the facility to visit their parent.
These eLearning courses are available at no charge for all Minnesota county jail staff on Minnesota Leadership Education & Training (MNLET) and were made possible by a grant through the Minnesota Department of Health and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Each course is approximately 30 minutes. A certificate is available after participating in the course and successfully completing the quiz.
Dr. Rebecca Shlafer, Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Minnesota is the instructor. Over the last decade, she has worked with numerous jails and prisons throughout the state of Minnesota to implement model policies and practices to strengthen families affected by incarceration. She was selected as a subject matter expert by the National Institute of Corrections and has served on numerous state and national committees focused on supporting incarcerated parents and their families.
Strengthening partnerships with child protection webinar
- Strengthening Child Protection & County Jails Partnerships to Support Kids of Incarcerated Parents - YouTube
This presentation provides an overview of the Child Protection/Child Welfare System and discusses the intersections of the Child Protection/Child Welfare System and the criminal justice systems. It was co-sponsored by the Center for Leadership Education in Maternal & Child Public Health at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health- CE credits are available upon request and with the completion of the evaluation form. CE Provider Approval is valid through 1/26/2024.
- Feedback is critical to this work, please fill out the survey after watching the video to better inform this work in the future.
- Bridging the Gap Resources (PDF)
- Reading Resources (PDF)
Parenting education
Parenting Inside Out (PIO)
Addressing the unique situation and issues of system involved parents.
Parenting Inside Out (PIO) is an evidence-based, cognitive-behavioral parent management skills training program created for incarcerated parents through a six-year collaboration of scientists, policy makers, practitioners, and instructional designers. Both the information in the program and the way that information is presented were informed by knowledge derived from research and practice.
- Parenting Inside Out Implementation in Minnesota Jails (2021-2023) (wilder.org)
- MN Parenting Inside Out Implementation Summary, 2021 (PDF)
Picture courtesy of Stearns County Jail. Pathfinders of Oregon (PIO) offers ongoing training opportunities to become a PIO facilitator throughout the year. Typically, the training is one full day per month for three months. To learn more about PIO visit Welcome to Parenting Inside Out | Parenting Inside Out or contact Pathfinders of Oregon to find out about facilitator training opportunities and costs by emailing: info@thepathfindernetwork.org.
Circle of Security
For Parents, Foster Parents, and Childcare Providers
Circle of Security program is based on decades of research about how secure parent-child relationships can be supported and strengthened. Using the COSP™ model developed by the Circle of Security originators, our trained Facilitators work with parents and caregivers to help them to:
- Understand their child’s emotional world by learning to read emotional needs.
- Support their child’s ability to successfully manage emotions.
- Enhance the development of their child’s self esteem.
- Honor the innate wisdom and desire for their child to be secure.
Tools for action
Safe and Secure, Family-friendly Visiting in Jails and Prisons: A Toolkit for Enhancing Child Visitation Experiences
- Safe and Secure, Family-friendly Visiting in Jails and Prisons: A Toolkit for Enhancing Child Visitation Experiences (PDF)
This tool was developed by the University of Minnesota in partnership with university extension educators, practitioners, and corrections professionals. This tool is not intended to be prescriptive; instead it should be used to guide conversation with corrections administrators and key stakeholders about opportunities to improve the visiting experience, and reduce stress and confusion for children and families affected by incarceration.
Intake questionnaire for jails
- Intake Questionnaire for Jails: Parent Screening (PDF)
This tool was developed in partnership with the University of Minnesota, Wilder Foundation, MDH, and all of the MN Model Jail Practices Learning Community partners including: Carlton County Jail, Ramsey County Correctional Facility, Renville County Jail, Olmsted County Jail, Sherburne County Jail, and Stearns County Jail. Jails are using this intake to identify parents and connect them with resources in the jail and community.
Please reach out to Anna Lynn anna.lynn@state.mn.us or John Eshun john.eshun@state.mn.us if you decide to use these resources or have any questions.
Other resources for jails
Resources for Schools
Programs and supports
- Creating Safe Spaces.pdf (ny.gov) (PDF)
- Brief Fook List for Caregivers or Children with Incarcerated Parents (PDF)
- Incarceration - Sesame Workshop
- Parental Addiction - Sesame Workshop
- Words Matter 2021 website.pdf (osborneny.org)
- SUSU 2021 Bill of Rights Letter Final.pdf (osborneny.org)
- Joining Forces (joiningforcesguide.com)
Initial jail learning community participating counties (2020-2023)
The first partner jail sites, range in size and geographic location, including: Carlton, Olmsted, Ramsey, Renville, Sherburne, and Stearns counties. These efforts were supported by a three-year grant from the Department of Justice, OJJDP Second Chance Act (October 2020-2023).
Jails in the first cohort made significant improvements, despite launching the program during COVID. Jails increased parent-child visits; over 7,066 parent-child visits occurred in four jails, including 61 on-site contact visits. Over 44 jail and community partners were trained in Parenting Inside Out, a parent education curriculum, and offered over 400 PIO courses for 213 incarcerated parents. Jails implemented a range of environmental changes to create family-friendly lobby and visiting spaces, including two jails that are creating a separate secure entry and in-person visiting room for families. Jails increased awareness of the issues surrounding parent incarceration among staff, strengthened staff buy-in, facilitating staff training, and expanding community partnership to better support incarcerated parents and their children.
Basecamp Channel
County jails, local partners, and community-based organizations share resources here that are identified through this program. If you would like to be added, please contact health.mch@state.mn.us.
Questions
Email health.mentalhealth.mdh@state.mn.us or call 651-201-3650.