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Resources for helping professionals
New! Training for Child Welfare
These videos and handouts were created with and for the Ontario Association of Children's Aid Society (OACAS), to educate child protection workers about the issues, rights and needs of children and youth who have a parent in prison. Other professionals like teachers and counsellors may also find this information useful.
This project was funded in part by the Social Science Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Canada. Thank you to the great team at the OACAS and wonderful production by Oya Media Group in Toronto.
Handouts
Information about Canadian children and youth with a parent in prison
Prompts and questions for service providers working with kids of prisoners; could be used for team meeting discussions
Recommendations for practice. Aimed at child welfare providers, but may be of use to any helping professional
Ontario Service Providers
Canadian Families and Corrections Network (CFCN)
This national non-profit provides services to families including: toll-free advice phone line; information booklets, Visitor Centre parenting resources and fathering programs at certain federal institutions; They are also the Canadian distributor of Sesame Street’s resiliency kits and host events for this project across Canada.
Kids of Prisoners (KIP) Canada
This non-profit provides a range of services, including: transportation to Ontario institutions, after-school programs, counselling (including Indigenous-specific counselling), camps and mentoring, to children and families in the Greater Toronto Area.
Mothers Offering Mutual Support (MOMs)
This group runs a variety of support groups and advocacy projects for family members of prisoners in Ottawa.
Elizabeth Fry Societies are charitable agencies that operate across Canada and provide services to criminalized women and gender-diverse folks. Every local E Fry agency is a little different, but most offer counselling and support groups (often with a focused on issues like mental health, substance use, relationship, parenting, or needs like employment or housing), and support around specific charges (such as anger-related issues, sex work, theft/fraud).
John Howard Societies are charitable agencies that operate across Canada and provide services to people involved in, or at risk of being involved in, the criminal justice system. Every local John Howard Society agency is a little different and provides different services, but these can include supports to prisoners ‘inside’, reintegration services, counselling, parenting, and bail programs. Few of the local John Howard agencies have programs specifically for families of prisoners, aside from in London and Hamilton which provide transportation services and support groups to families of prisoners.