An estimated 2.1 million children across Europe have a parent in prison. As well as the loss of a parent children with a parent in prison may experience stigma, trauma and anxiety which may impact their emotional and physical well-being and their personal development.
In 2018 the Council of Europe issued policy guidelines to its 47 member states aimed at safeguarding the rights of children of imprisoned parents. The policy guidelines reaffirm that children with a parent in prison are entitled to the same rights as other children, including regular contact with their parents if this is in their best interests.
Like most guidelines they have been written by adults for adults. But what would they look like if children rewrote them…
In 2018 COPE (Children of Prisoners Europe) approached their members to look at how we might as a collective involve children in rewriting the recommendations in child friendly language. As co-hosts of the ‘Keeping Children Connected’ Conference (hosted in Manchester in 2018) POPS delivered the first example of this project as part of the conference programme, tackling two of the guidelines concerning the use of technology in maintaining contact.
This short film describes this process and the children’s final interpretation of the guidelines.
To read the original ‘Recommendation CM/Rec(2018)5 of the Committee of Ministers to member States concerning children with imprisoned parents’ visit: www.coe.int.
To view the child-friendly guidelines as they are produced visit: www.childrenofprisoners.eu
With special thanks to all the children involved in the forum for their time and contribution.
Concept and Direction: Rebecca Cheung, POPS
Video Production: Northern Spark Productions https://northernsparkproductions.com/
Last updated 06/11/2023.