Nursery World - 'Mistrust' from prison authorities harms young children

A ‘culture of mistrust towards families and children’ in prisons is harming children’s ability to form attachments with their parents, Barnardo’s has said.

The children's charity, which facilitates prison visits for families, says that while 200,000 children have a parent in jail, contact between prisoners with young children and their families can be impeded by restrictive rules about visiting.

Key items such as prams, nappies and milk bottles are often not allowed at visits.

neera-sharma Barnardo’s assistant director of policy and research Neera Sharma said, ‘In some prisons young children and even babies are subject to intrusive searches. We also know that, while many prisons have good family-friendly practice, there is also a culture of mistrust towards families and their children in some prisons. With these issues remaining, an estimated 45% of families lose contact with family members in prison.’

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