Maternal incarceration: Impact on parent-child relationships.

Fowler, C; Rossiter, C; Power, T; Dawson, A; Jackson, D; Roche, MA

Maternal incarceration: Impact on parent-child relationships.

Fowler, C

Rossiter, C Power, T Dawson, A

Jackson, D Roche, MA

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Publisher:: SAGE Publications
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Journal of child health care : for professionals working with children in the hospital and community, 2021, pp. 13674935211000882
Issue Date:: 2021-03-20

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Fowler, C https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7838-8434
dc.contributor.author	Rossiter, C
dc.contributor.author	Power, T
dc.contributor.author	Dawson, A https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0926-2202
dc.contributor.author	Jackson, D
dc.contributor.author	Roche, MA
dc.date.accessioned	2021-03-29T22:03:07Z
dc.date.available	2021-03-29T22:03:07Z
dc.date.issued	2021-03-20
dc.identifier.citation	Journal of child health care : for professionals working with children in the hospital and community, 2021, pp. 13674935211000882
dc.identifier.issn	1367-4935
dc.identifier.issn	1741-2889
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/147633
dc.description.abstract	Female incarceration is rising steeply in Australia and other high-income countries. The majority of incarcerated women are mothers. Their children represent a particularly vulnerable group, often subject to adverse experiences due to their family's disadvantaged circumstances involving inadequate housing, food insecurity, poverty, poor health, a lack of personal safety due to violence and resulting trauma. This qualitative study explores parenting experiences of incarcerated mothers separated from their children. Interviews involved 65 mothers in three Australian prisons and 19 stakeholders providing correctional services and support for incarcerated women. Data were analysed using interpretive description. Mothers' accounts highlighted frustrations resulting from trying to maintain relationships with their children, often exacerbating their separation and compounding parenting difficulties. Two major themes emerged from the data: 'protecting their children' and 'at the mercy of the system'. Mothers described how they tried to protect their children from the consequences of their incarceration, yet many of the correctional system processes and procedures made it even harder to maintain connection. Incarcerated mothers need support in their parenting role. Ideally, this support should commence during incarceration. Further, changes within prison routines could enhance mothers' efforts to keep in contact with their children, through visits and phone calls.
dc.format	Print-Electronic
dc.language	eng
dc.publisher	SAGE Publications
dc.relation.ispartof	Journal of child health care : for professionals working with children in the hospital and community
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1177/13674935211000882
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject	1110 Nursing, 1114 Paediatrics and Reproductive Medicine, 1117 Public Health and Health Services
dc.title	Maternal incarceration: Impact on parent-child relationships.
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.location.activity	England
utslib.for	1110 Nursing
utslib.for	1114 Paediatrics and Reproductive Medicine
utslib.for	1117 Public Health and Health Services
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CHSP - Health Services and Practice
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - WHO CC
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.date.updated	2021-03-29T22:03:05Z
pubs.publication-status	Published

Abstract:

Female incarceration is rising steeply in Australia and other high-income countries. The majority of incarcerated women are mothers. Their children represent a particularly vulnerable group, often subject to adverse experiences due to their family's disadvantaged circumstances involving inadequate housing, food insecurity, poverty, poor health, a lack of personal safety due to violence and resulting trauma. This qualitative study explores parenting experiences of incarcerated mothers separated from their children. Interviews involved 65 mothers in three Australian prisons and 19 stakeholders providing correctional services and support for incarcerated women. Data were analysed using interpretive description. Mothers' accounts highlighted frustrations resulting from trying to maintain relationships with their children, often exacerbating their separation and compounding parenting difficulties. Two major themes emerged from the data: 'protecting their children' and 'at the mercy of the system'. Mothers described how they tried to protect their children from the consequences of their incarceration, yet many of the correctional system processes and procedures made it even harder to maintain connection. Incarcerated mothers need support in their parenting role. Ideally, this support should commence during incarceration. Further, changes within prison routines could enhance mothers' efforts to keep in contact with their children, through visits and phone calls.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/147633