Mentoring: A Promising Intervention for Children of Prisoners

Research in Action Series Mentoring: A Promising Intervention for Children of Prisoners

Overview of Research in Action Series
MENTOR has developed an innovative series - Research in Action
Translates the latest research on mentoring into tangible strategies for mentoring practitioners.
Makes the best available research accessible and relevant to the mentoring field.
Using the Research in Action series, programs can ensure their practices are based on current research, resulting in improved services and better impacts for young people.

10 issues
Each issue provides:
Research
Action
Resources
Overview of Research in Action Series

Research in Action Issues:
Mentoring: A Key Resource for Promoting Positive Youth Development
Effectiveness of Mentoring Program Practices
Program Staff in Youth Mentoring Programs: Qualifications, Training, and Retention
Fostering Close and Effective Relationships in Youth Mentoring Programs
Why Youth Mentoring Relationships End
School-Based Mentoring
Cross-Age Peer Mentoring
Mentoring Across Generations: Engaging 50+ Adults as Mentors
Youth Mentoring: Do Race and Ethnicity Really Matter?
Mentoring: A Promising Intervention for Children of Prisoners

Issue 10: Children of Prisoners
Download this issue by visiting:
www.mentoring.org
Select “Resource & Publication Library” under Find Program Resources near the top of the page.
The research section of this issue was written by Shay Bilchik, J.D., Georgetown University

POLL
Your own experience with Children of Prisoners Mentoring:
Less than one year
One to three years
Four to six years
Seven or more years

POLL
Your organizations experience with Children of Prisoners Mentoring:
Less than one year
One to three years
Four to six years
Seven or more years
Unsure

Research – Introduction
Incarceration rates have increased substantially in the United States over the past several decades
“ Collateral damage”
These children, along with their families, have been described as more at-risk than any other subculture in this country.

More than two million children have a parent incarcerated in state and federal prisons and local jails
From 1991 to 2001 the number of children with parents in prison jumped by more than 50 percent
Most of the children in question have fathers who are incarcerated, but an estimated 8–10 percent have mothers in jail
This group of children are one of the most vulnerable and at-risk populations
Research – The Scope of the Problem

Those impacted by parental incarceration already face many risk factors:
Poverty
Instability
Reduced access to support

Many children of incarcerated parents were living with non-parental caregivers prior to the incarceration of their parent.
Only ½ of the inmate parents were living with their children prior to entering prison.
Mothers lived with their children at higher rates at the time of incarceration.
Fewer than 10% of children of mothers and 4% of children of fathers are place in foster care.

The length of a parent’s incarceration has an impact on the child.
Fathers are more likely to have longer sentences than mothers.
Fathers are twice as likely to be incarcerated for violent offenses.
Length of sentence impacts the possibility of renewing parent-child ties.

Developmental Perspective
The child can be impacted at multiple stage of the incarceration process (arrest, imprisonment, and re-entry)
The age and stage of development of the child also effects the impact of incarceration
Children who are uninformed about their parent’s incarceration are undermined in their ability to cope and are left more anxious and fearful
Programs designed to intervene in a positive manner must take these considerations into account

Children need honest, factual information and validation
Allows them to better understand and begin the process of grieving and coping
“ Forced Silence”

The separation from a parent with whom the child has formed a strong connection can be traumatic regardless of age
The separation of an infant or young child from a mother has particularly significant consequences

School-age children can be displaced from school
Adolescents have been found to reject boundaries
Adolescents with incarcerated mothers are more likely to drop out

Mentoring – A Hopeful Intervention
While mentoring programs provided only modest benefit to average youth, they were more effective with “high-risk” groups
The longer the mentoring relationship the greater benefit
Mentoring can improve children’s socio-emotional skills, increase their capacity for attachments, and produce stronger, healthier relationships between children and significant others
The greatest need of these children is a meaningful, lasting relationship

Failed matches may cause harm
Mentor training, on-going support, and resources for mentors are essential to success

Social supports for children and a sense of hopefulness are protective factors
Mentoring can be a positive intervention

Opportunity & Risk
The opportunity is to provide a much needed greater sense of hope, along with a supportive individual in the child’s life.
The risk is the damage that can be done to an already fragile set of life circumstances through mentoring that doesn’t meet the higher quality demanded for this population

Special training needs for programs working with children of prisoners
Targeted recruitment
Selection
Matching
Closure

Action – Overview
Demonstrate how developmental impacts of having a parent in prison can affect the mentoring relationship
Offer strategies to counter these impacts
Provide general strategies for working with children of prisoners

A Model
The age of the child when the parent is arrested impacts the child developmentally
Developmental impacts may have an affect on the mentoring relationship
Mentoring programs and mentors can implement proven strategies
Successful interventions lead to stronger and longer lasting mentoring relationships

Key Points
Each child is unique
The incarceration of a parent is traumatic and impacts development
Each stage of incarceration has an impact on the child and family
Complicating factors effect the life situation of the child and can further disrupt the family
Social supports and a sense of hope can mediate the impact of parental incarceration

Developmental Impacts of Parental Incarceration by Age of Child at Arrest

What Can Programs Do?
Follow the Michigan Quality Program Standards for Youth Mentoring
Set clear expectations with mentors, mentees, families, caregivers, and incarcerated parents about:
Commitment
Meetings
Relationship
Outcomes
Mentees knowledge of incarceration

Involvement
Families and caregivers
Incarcerated parents
Screening
Mentors
Mentees
Mentee Training
Communication skills
Building relationships
Boundaries
“ Using” their mentor

Mentor Training
Children of prisoners
Environmental factors
Developmental stages of youth
Building relationships
Communication skills
Values and beliefs
Boundaries

Additional Training and Resources
Truth
Closure
Release/re-entry
Support and Supervision

What Can Mentors Do?
Be consistent, patient and flexible
Have realistic expectations
Hold mentees accountable
Be comfortable with boundary setting
Ask for help and support
Remain committed to the relationship

Questions or Comments?

This presentation provides an overview of Research in Action Issue 10: Mentoring: A Promising Intervention for Children of Prisoners
This tool was produced by MENTOR/The National Mentoring Partnership and can be accessed at www.mentoring.org

Mentoring: A Promising Intervention for Children of Prisoners

by Mentor Michigan on Mar 17, 2011

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Mentoring: A Promising Intervention for Children of Prisoners Presentation Transcript