Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps her Department is taking to support children with a parent in prison.

Having a parent in prison is considered an adverse childhood experience and can have a significant impact on a child’s life chances. This Government has committed to ensuring these children are identified and offered the support they need to thrive.

We are working closely with the Department for Education to determine how to effectively identify and support these children. We understand the importance of driving forward this agenda and officials from both Departments are working with a wide range of stakeholders, including sector experts and those with lived experience, to support the development of policy proposals.

Prisons across England and Wales already offer a range of services to maintain family relationships including social visits, family days, prison voicemail and collaborations with organisations such as the award-winning charity led initiative Storybook Mums and Dads, enabling parents in prison to record bedtime stories for their children.