Parenting support in prison and its lasting impact on children

At Kids Matter, our vision is to see every child in need raised in a strong family. But what if a parent is in prison?

According to government statistics, around 200,000 children in the UK are impacted by parental imprisonment. These are children who often grow up in the shadows – unseen by services, unheard in conversations that matter and unsupported in ways that could change their future. We don’t want these children to go unnoticed.

The Unseen Struggles

One thing, above all, determines a child’s future: their relationship with their mum, dad or carer. This bond shapes everything – how children learn and thrive, their resilience and future outcomes at work and in relationships with others. When children grow up in poverty, family relationships can suffer and the impact can echo through generations.

For children with a parent in prison, the emotional strain can be even greater, and the ripple effects can last a lifetime.

When a parent goes to prison, it’s not just their life that changes – it can turn the whole family’s world upside down. The absence of a parent often brings emotional challenges, and children are more likely to struggle with their mental health, behaviour and schooling. What happens in a prison cell can have a profound and lasting impact far beyond its walls.

But there’s hope. Our research suggests that when dads in prison are supported to engage with their children and grow in confidence as parents, it can make a tangible difference – not only in their children’s lives today but in breaking the cycles of disadvantage that can persist across generations. When a father learns how to parent more positively, even from behind bars, his children are more likely to feel emotionally secure and more resilient, which gives them a better chance at being happy and healthy, and able to contribute positively to society.

Meeting Dads Where They Are

Many dads talk about the deep feelings of guilt, sadness and helplessness they experience from being apart from their children. Being a parent in prison isn’t easy but with the right support, it can still be meaningful. At Kids Matter, we come alongside parents facing the greatest challenges to help them build strong, positive relationships with their children because we know that making this one change can spark change that lasts a lifetime.

We run parenting programmes in local communities – including prisons. Right now, we’re working in three UK prisons, supporting dads to reconnect with their children and build their confidence as parents. We’ve also partnered with Children Heard & Seen to support the caregivers at home because we know family doesn’t stop functioning just because a parent is in prison.

What Are the Results?

We’ve been piloting a way to measure the impact of our programmes with dads in prison and the early results are encouraging:

· 88% of dads said they felt more confident in their role as a father after the workshops.

· 75% felt their relationship with their children had improved.

· Dads rated the helpfulness of the workshops 9.7 out of 10.

· They rated their ability to manage their child’s tricky behaviour with warmth and boundaries at 8.8 out of 10.

· They were very likely to recommend the programme to other dads in prison – 9.8 out of 10.

And it’s not just numbers. The dads shared what they hoped to get out of the programme, which is to be better dads, to learn, to connect. They also told us what they valued most: being heard, sharing experiences, gaining insight and finding support in one another.

Our hope

There’s no one-size-fits-all solution to family challenges, especially in prison settings, but when dads are given the chance to reflect, make positive changes in their parenting and connect with their children, their children do benefit. We’ve seen it. And our research shows that supporting incarcerated fathers doesn’t only improve outcomes for their children in the immediate – it can help interrupt the cycle of generational disadvantage and family breakdown. This kind of support holds the potential to shift the long-term trajectory of a child’s life.

We want to expand our work in prisons so that every child has the chance to flourish. Every parent deserves the opportunity to grow into the kind of caregiver their children need and we’re committed to deepening our impact, strengthening our evidence and coming alongside dads in prison as they build strong relationships with their children, despite their circumstances.

Find out more about Kids Matter in prisons here and read our full research findings here.