Children With Incarcerated Parents
The growth in the number of men and women incarcerated over recent years has affected an extraordinary number of children and families. Approximately 2 million U.S. children are estimated to have parents who are currently incarcerated. More than 10 million minor children have parents who have come under some form of criminal justice supervision at some point in their children’s lives.
The challenges posed to children and families of the incarcerated are significant. Children with incarcerated parents are particularly vulnerable because not only are they faced with the trauma of loss, but also the myriad economic and social challenges that parental incarceration can bring.
The goals of Casey’s work in this field are to support and promote effective responses to these challenges. First, we are building a knowledge base of reliable data and research that will better inform policy and practice. Second, we are convening organizations and experts to explore diverse viewpoints and identify new funders for collaboration. Third, we are identifying strategies and lessons learned from across the Foundation that may be applied to children with incarcerated parents.
Casey Funding in Action
- We are supporting Columbia University in examining the relationship between parental incarceration and child well-being at ages three, five, and nine, through the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study. We also support Angel Tree, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Amercia, and others in their research and data collection in this field.
- We are working with Grantmakers for Children, Youth, and Families and other national partners to identify additional funders and explore the development of guidelines for public policy related to children with incarcerated parents.
- We are supporting promising efforts in Casey's San FranciscoFamily to Family site that looks at the most effective ways for child welfare and the department of corrections to coordinate support for children of the incarcerated.
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