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Caring for the Children of Imprisoned Mothers: Exploring the Role of Fathers
Author(s) -
Flynn Catherine
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
child abuse review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.569
H-Index - 41
eISSN - 1099-0852
pISSN - 0952-9136
DOI - 10.1002/car.1206
Subject(s) - imprisonment , prison , psychology , perception , developmental psychology , medicine , criminology , neuroscience
Women are the most rapidly growing group of prisoners in Western jurisdictions, with the majority of them mothers. Research conducted over the past 40 years has concentrated on describing, but not evaluating, the circumstances, including the care arrangements, of their dependent children. Whilst fathers have played a small but significant role in this care, they are largely absent from discourse. This paper discusses research findings about the role of fathers in providing care to children while their mothers are in prison. This is part of a wider study which examined the impact of maternal incarceration on 20 young people in Victoria, Australia. In the current study, findings indicate that although fathers were the largest group providing care for these young people, participants were mostly unsatisfied with these arrangements. The current study considers children's and mothers' perceptions of the quality of that care and implications for mother‐child relationships. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. ‘Part of a wider study which examined the impact of maternal incarceration’Key Practitioner Messages Increasing numbers of children and young people are experiencing the imprisonment of their mothers. Children of incarcerated mothers are more likely to experience the loss of their primary carer and subsequent instability. Fathers are providing care to a sizeable group of children while their mothers are in prison. We currently know little about the care provided by fathers: how it is arranged, its quality or the needs of carers and children.