Platform member organisation, Children of Prisoners Europe (COPE) launched a survey in February to gather ideas on how to make prisons feel welcoming when children visit their parents.
The report from that survey is now available.
48 children from 10 countries, including 9 EU Member States, participated in the survey.
The report highlights the importance of child participation in decision-making processes that affect them, and the challenges children face when visiting a parent in prison.
What children said
Children were asked to rate various aspects relating to prison visits. They expressed the need for a more welcoming environment that allows them to interact freely and comfortably with their parents.
“Prisons should be less scary, you make me feel like I have done something wrong and you do not like my dad or trust my grandmother when she takes me to visit my dad.” Boy, age 8, Ireland
Children’s responses led to recommendations for more empathetic treatment, child-friendly spaces, and better communication methods during visits. They made a strong call for change amongst prison services to ensure their rights are upheld when a parent is in prison.
Download the COPE report (in English)
Meeting children’s needs
The changes that children want are mirrored in the 52 guidelines outlined in the Council of Europe Recommendation (2028)5 concerning children with imprisoned parents.
While some progress is being made to implement this recommendation, there remains a lot to be done to ensure it becomes a reality for children in all EU countries.