Children of Prisoners Europe

05/08/2026

💡 From teacher to children’s rights advocate: what inspired Sarah Beresford’s work with children affected by parental imprisonment?

🎙️ Episode 10 of the "Voices Unlocked Podcast" features COPE member Sarah Beresford OBE, who shares how one family's experience inspired her work supporting children with a parent in prison.

From developing child-led conversation tools and Child Impact Assessments to discussing the importance of kindness and child-centred practice across justice systems, this episode is full of practical insights and powerful reflections for anyone interested in children's rights, family justice and prison reform.

You can listen to the episode here 👉 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fJALaFTFRI

In this episode of Voices Unlocked Pod, Lorna and Liv welcome Sarah...

29/07/2026

2025 showed us what's possible when people come together 🤝 around a shared belief: that every child deserves to be heard and supported.

Behind everything COPE achieved the past year is the work of our members across Europe 🇪🇺.

Together, we:
✅ helped bring the rights of children with a parent in prison into policy agendas;
✅ built the capacity and skills of professionals working with children and families;
✅ shared knowledge and good practices;
✅ amplified the voices of children with a parent in prison.

COPE 2025 Annual Report looks back on a year of achievements and challenges, recognising that much more remains to be done to ensure that every child affected by parental imprisonment can flourish.

📖 We hope you'll take a few minutes to explore the report and see the impact of our work.

🔗 You can download the report here:https://childrenofprisoners.eu/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Annual-Report-2025.pdf

European Commission UEFA Foundation for Children Council of Europe

28/07/2026

"De Saussure sees language as more than a reflection of objective social reality; rather, it constitutes social reality, with communication moulding the social world around us (De Saussure, 1989). References to transgenerational crime not only stigmatise children, but determine subsequent policy and action.”

Join us in adopting trauma-informed, strengths-based language that conveys to young people, policy-makers, and communities that children of incarcerated parents can thrive and succeed despite the incarceration of a parent.

Efforts to support children with imprisoned parents must prioritise children's rights and needs in discussions around anti-stigma initiatives

20/07/2026

One of the greatest challenges surrounding parental imprisonment is silence.

When a parent is imprisoned, children often experience changes that affect many areas of their lives — they may have to adapt to a parent no longer being at home, changes in who cares for them, disrupted routines and the emotional impact of separation. At the same time, many children carry the fear of being judged or treated differently if others find out.

These challenges are compounded by the fact that conversations about imprisonment and contact with the justice system are often missing from classrooms and community spaces. Silence can unintentionally reinforce exclusion.

From a child’s perspective, when the adults around them know about their situation but avoid acknowledging it—their teacher at school, for example—the message they may receive is that their experience is something to hide or feel ashamed of. A child may avoid talking about their family because they fear how others will react. Sometimes they are told “not to tell”. They may struggle with concentration at school, feel isolated from their peers or miss opportunities for support simply because no one knows how to start the conversation.

Children affected by parental imprisonment need support from adults around them who recognise the challenges they may face, who know how to respond and have the confidence and tools to provide this support, creating spaces where difficult conversations can take place without judgement.

Breaking the silence is a first step towards change and building more inclusive communities where all children can feel supportedand engage freely and spontaneously with the world around them 🌍✨.

20/07/2026

Game with Mum & Dad 💚

15/07/2026

15/07/2026

How can we build systems that truly support children affected by parental imprisonment? It starts by bringing together the sectors and people involved in children's lives 🤝 — from justice and social services to education, health, civil society and academia to establish a long-term societal vision for children with a parent in prison.

📍On 12 June, COPE's 18th International Conference brought together Italian and international experts in Milan to delve deeper into this topic, to show how stronger collaboration can create better outcomes for children.

Hosted by Bambini senza sbarre at the historic Palazzo Marino in Milan 🇮🇹 and chaired by COPE President Kate Philbrick OBE, the conference provided a space for justice professionals, researchers, practitioners and civil society to exchange knowledge and discuss how to better protect the rights of children with a parent in prison.

Throughout the day, participants explored the impact of parental imprisonment on children and how every sector that touches a child's life has a role to play in creating holistic ecosystems where children's rights and needs are protected from the moment of a parent's arrest through to reintegration.

🙏 A sincere thank you to Bambinisenzasbarre for hosting this year's conference, and to all the speakers and participants who shared their expertise.

Read more from Conference here 👉 https://childrenofprisoners.eu/18th-children-of-prisoners-europe-international-conference/

09/07/2026

“I really enjoyed spending these three hours with my family. Thank you.” — imprisoned father, Bremerhaven

For the third year in a row, GWMD is back in Germany! 🇩🇪

On 25 June 2026, the first event of the year in the country took place at Bremerhaven Correctional Facility. It marked the first initiative of its kind at the facility 🎉, creating a dedicated space for children and parents to spend meaningful time together through play and shared activities.

The afternoon included games, arts and crafts and a special face-painting activity — with children proudly painting their parents’ faces.

Another GWMD event will take place at the facility on 22 October, with additional activities planned in Bremen.

🫶 A big thank you to Hoppenbank e.V. for its commitment and for implementing the project in Germany, making these family moments possible.

Read more about the event here 👉 https://www.gamewithmum-dad.org/the-first-family-focused-initiative-at-bremerhaven-prison/

UEFA Foundation for Children Council of Europe European Commission FIFA World Cup UNICEF United Nations Human Rights

09/07/2026

💡 How can prisons better include the voices of children with an imprisoned parent into their policy-making processes and daily practices?

Together with its consortium partners in the Our Stories Matter project, Expertisecentrum K I N D has launched a practical guide to help prison staff integrate child participation into their daily work. The guide is based on research, practical experience and input from the children themselves.

It includes:
🔹A step-by-step process for embedding children’s participation in prison policy development, monitoring and evaluation,
🔹Evaluation approaches adapted to different age groups,
🔹Practical checklists to help prisons embed child participation into their structures,
🔹Worksheets and tools that staff can use in their daily work.

Discover the guide and learn more here 👉 https://expertisecentrumkind.nl/2026/05/20/aan-de-slag-met-kinderparticipatie-in-de-pi-engels/

08/07/2026

📚 The July 2026 issue of Open Access Government features an article drafted by COPE exploring the impact of stigma on children affected by parental imprisonment.

It looks at how the language we use can shape public attitudes and children's own experiences, and highlights initiatives to challenge stereotypes and promote a more child-centred approach to discussing, thinking about and ultimately responding to parental imprisonment within children's best interests.

Read the article at this link 👉 https://www.openaccessgovernment.org/publications/