Working with Children and Families Separated by Incarceration

Book excerpt: More than 1.6 million children in this country have a parent in prison, and a much larger number have experienced the incarceration of a parent at some point in their lives. As a result, these children endure traumatic separations from their parents and erratic shifts from one caregiver to another. This handbook discusses the effects of parental incarceration, and the community services that should be available to support and preserve families. It also outlines child welfare practice needs and provides practical suggestions in areas such as child protection, temporary placement in out-of-home care, permanency planning, and family reunification.