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THOUSANDS of children whose mothers are behind bars desperately need support, according to prisons reformers.
The Prison Reform Trust says that an estimated 17,000 children need help and has produced a new “toolkit” of assistance.
Children’s welfare is rarely considered when mothers are imprisoned, the trust says in a report published today.
One child, Layla, who was 10 years old when her mother was arrested, told the trust: “There was just nothing; no-one asked how [her and her siblings] were doing or what support we needed. Nothing.”
The toolkit’s recommendations include talking to children to identify the best means of support.
Sarah Beresford of the trust said: “The children we consulted said they did not want more reports with yet more recommendations. They want action.
“For too long, children with a mother in the criminal justice system have been, at best, ignored.
“This toolkit calls for a cross-sector step change and lays out the vision of how that can be achieved.”
