Kid Connection for Children Of Incarcerated Parents...

Over the past two years, Old Mill and numerous other service providers throughout the state have noted the frightening increase in the number of children at risk who exhibit multiple risk factors closely tied to the incarceration of one or both parents. In January 2006, Old Mill Center was providing individual counseling and other services to 52 children, ages 0-16, who had an incarcerated parent. It is estimated that approximately 120 of these "invisible" children are served by Old Mill annually.

Children of incarcerated parents often exhibit problematic behavior including withdrawal, frustration and failure at school, use of drugs or alcohol, school truancy, and aggressive/violent behavior. Children of incarcerated parents are seven times more likely to eventually be incarcerated themselves than their peers. Prior to the incarceration, the parents of these children have often been physically and/or emotionally unavailable to them. Parents have been involved in "meth" or other drug and alcohol use, domestic violence, etc., that they have been unable to create a safe, nurturing, consistent, emotionally and physically healthy environment for the children.

These children have already begun to feel neglected, abandoned, undervalued, and unimportant. Most have begun to withdraw or act out prior to the incarceration of their parent(s). Research confirms that the loss of connection experienced by these children once parents enter the correctional system is the most damaging. Adults in children's lives are often unsure how to talk to children about the incarceration of parents and are unwilling to let children have contact of any kind. Research shows that this sense of abandonment leads children to mental health problems, criminal activity, teen pregnancy, drug and alcohol use, and school failure. The depression, fear, guilt, sorrow, anger and confusion these children and youth experience, significantly interferes with school and social success.

Old Mill is beginning the Kid Connection Program to provide counseling groups for children of these incarcerated parents. Up to five groups may run simultaneously, including: 1) a preschool group, 2) elementary age group, 3) middle school group, and 4) high school group. In addition a support group for non-incarcerated parent, partner and other family members will also be available.

This addresses a major gap in services for these children. Since about 85% of incarcerated parents are fathers, women will make up the majority of parents participating in the parent group of the Kid Connection program. Children of incarcerated parents include both girls and boys. Old Mill's primary goal for the program is to support the mental health development of children and youth of incarcerated parents with a secondary goal of strengthening families by supporting the non-incarcerated parent. Mothers, who may themselves have had high risk behaviors, need much support and information as they are left alone to raise children who are vulnerable to social, emotional, behavioral and academic failure.

Children gain much from being with their peers and sharing fears, concerns, questions, and experiences that surround their parents' drug and alcohol use. They also share the experiences of domestic violence, family chaos, observance of their parent's arrest, the absence of their parent(s), and their feelings about visiting (or not visiting) their parent(s) in jail or prison. Research indicates that group process moves children/youth through the sorrow, anger, confusion, guilt, etc faster than individual counseling in many instances. Some children's behavior or mental health conditions may dictate that they initially receive individual rather than group counseling.