Supporting Children with Incarcerated Parents: Strategies and Role of Community

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Recommended: The effects of parental incarceration on children

Adalist-Estrin, A. (2006). Providing support to children with incarcerated parents. Retrieved from http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=d5b2530b-4728-4970-b142-ffd5c2720e79%40sessionmgr114&vid=1&hid=106
In this article, Adalist-Estrin discusses the effects that parental incarceration on the adolescent population. Of the many different effects and contributing factors parental imprisonment can have on children, she targets a very prominent three that result in a lack of support and understanding of the presenting issue. The author further discusses and lists the various ways many of these adolescents may experience parental incarceration, including the feelings associated with this trauma. The article sheds light on the challenges faced with providing support as well as why it is crucial to create supportive environments for these children. Importantly, Adalist-Estrin goes on to explain the importance of the roles educators, counselors, and community advocates play as supporters. Suggestions and strategies are offered for responding to and working with this population of children, including that of a support group.
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She notes the rates as having a dramatic increase, thus inferring the reality of this circumstance to be very potent. In reference to the latter, she ascertains the need for children of incarcerated parents to witness themselves in story books as there are very few representation of this dynamic in comparison to the statistics that reflect the harsh truth. The author eludes to the lack of discussion about this topic to play part in further stigmatizing this population; thus she explains why this population of children need to have their stories told, as well as why others need to read these children’s

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