扒哥吃瓜

• New scheme will听recognise听鈥榟idden鈥櫶齝hildren and connect them to听vital听support听

• Around 193,000 children have a parent in prison听

• Part of Government action to stop kids falling through the cracks 听

Vulnerable children with a parent in prison听will be recognised earlier and better supported under Government efforts听to give听every child听the best start in life.听

A new scheme launching this summer听will join up information held across听public services听鈥撎齣ncluding prisons,听police听and听local councils. This will mean, for the first time, police forces will share information with local authorities in targeted areas about parents who have gone into prison, and government will bring together existing data to share it with local authorities, meaning children听and families听get the vital support听to health,听education听and social services.

An estimated 193,000 children in England and Wales have a parent in听prison听each year,听which can have long-lasting impacts on their听schooling,听mental听health听and听future job prospects听as they听grow up.

Currently information is fragmented and split across services meaning children are too often at risk of falling through the cracks and missing out on support that puts听them on the backfoot through no fault of their own.

The scheme will initially听target areas with high rates of parental imprisonment,听learning from what works,听with an ambition to听roll听out across more areas of the country听鈥撎齞elivering on听a听manifesto听commitment to better support children听with a parent in听custody.

Minister for Sentencing and Youth Justice, Jake Richards,听said:鈥�舛寞舛寞舛寞

For too long, these children have been invisible to the system. If we do not know who they are, we cannot support听them听- and if we cannot support them, we risk another generation being pulled into听a cycle of disadvantage.

We made a promise to protect these children and听stop them paying the price for their parents鈥� crimes. Today we are making good on that pledge.

Minister for Children,听Josh MacAlister, said:

No child should be defined by the actions of a parent, especially when that parent is in prison.

This pilot will deliver urgently needed support for children鈥檚 mental health,听education听and wellbeing, helping those with a parent in prison to overcome challenges and thrive. It is a crucial step in breaking the link between background and success.

Once听identified,听families听will be听offered tailored听support听according to their individual needs.听This听will include helping children with their emotional wellbeing,听confidence听and sense of belonging.

Families will also be connected to local services听such as听Family听Hubs, and听directed听to a range of other support听including help with physical and mental health, housing advice, youth services, and services run by local charities.

POPS Director, Lynn Kelly, said:

POPS welcomes the Government鈥檚 commitment to improving support for children affected by parental imprisonment. POPS is a charity with 40 years鈥� experience of working in prisons and in the community, delivering support, guidance and interventions to children and families affected by the justice system. Our experience demonstrates that children and their families benefit significantly from early, specialist and non-judgemental support.

As pilot programmes develop, we welcome the opportunity to share both our experience and the lived experiences of the children and families who use our services. We look forward to seeing the knowledge and expertise of the third sector placed at the heart of the design and delivery of this important work.

Diane Curry OBE, Clinks Families Network Co-ordinator, said:

Children and young people affected by parental imprisonment need support in trusted spaces within their own communities, shaped by the needs they identify. Understanding the impact of parental imprisonment and other vital factors is essential to designing this support to combat any further stigmatisation experienced by children and their families. Clinks Families Network members, and the children and families they support, will continue to contribute to discussions on how the proposed pilots should develop to achieve the best possible outcomes.

Today鈥檚 announcement听builds on the Government鈥檚 wider action to give every child the best start in life, including investment in听family support services, reform of children鈥檚 social care, and the mission to halve knife crime within a decade.听These actions听will听help build stronger communities, a fairer听society听and a more prosperous economy.鈥�

Notes to editors听

• The pilot will run from 2026 to 2028,听starting听over听the听summer听with听an official launch in autumn 2026.听It is being听run by the Ministry of Justice and the Department听for听Education.
• A full Data Protection Impact Assessment will be completed. All data sharing will听comply with听relevant data protection legislation and the Human Rights Act.
• The Government鈥檚 2024 manifesto听said 鈥淭he children of those who are imprisoned are at far greater risk of being drawn into crime than their peers. We will ensure that those young people are听identified听and offered support to break the cycle.鈥�