Supporting children living with a parent in prison: Learning from young people

Young people with imprisoned parents represent one of the most disadvantaged and marginalized groups in our community. We know very little about the unique experiences and views of these young people as they are rarely consulted about their opinions in either research or policy development. This study employed a strengths-approach to examine parental imprisonment, centring the lived experiences of young people. It focuses on their observations and shares their learnings about who or what can be most helpful to young people in this situation. Data were gathered via two face-to-face focus groups facilitated with young people aged 11–15 years who are connected to support programmes offered by community organization SHINE for Kids in Australia. Thematic analysis was used to define key themes, with regard to ‘Who’ and ‘How’ support is best offered. ‘Who’: Families are key supporters (but are unsupported); Teachers have potential but are uninformed; and Criminal legal system staff are absent; ‘How’: Prioritizing respect for young people and their rights; Fostering connectedness: to self and others; and Adults holding burdens. Study findings indicate a range of ways that we can better support young people, to allow them to feel supported to have a positive childhood.