A new report reveals the challenges mothers face trying to maintain a relationship with their children while in prison, and recommends additional support.
Dr. Kate O'Brien and Dr. Hannah King, from our Sociology department, evaluated the pioneering Parental Rights in Prison (PRiP) project. The PRiP project aimed to help incarcerated parents sustain a relationship with their children. The project provided specialist family support workers as well as legal advice and support.
It was run by the charity NEPACS and was piloted at HMP Low Newton women's prison, Durham, before expanding to two men's establishments in the region.
The evaluation found that the PRiP project was often the first-time incarcerated mothers received specialist family support and legal advocacy around their parental rights. Having a child/children removed often triggered self-medication, suicidal ideas and self-injury among mothers. This was especially the case early on in custody, and as mothers were approaching release.
PRiP helped to overcome issues of mothers being misinformed or given little/no information about the legal status of their children, or their parental rights.
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