The Impact on British Asian Children when Parents are Jailed

When parents are jailed, the impact on their children is profound and far-reaching. Consequently, children are referred to as serving a ‘hidden sentence’.

When one or more parents are jailed, a child’s sense of identity, belonging, and safety can be profoundly impacted.

Children with a parent in jail face multiple challenges and difficulties. Their emotional, socio-cultural, and financial well-being can all be negatively affected.

Moreover, children can be forced to take on additional care responsibilities and feel a sense of loss or rejection.

Overall, the separation from a parent due to arrest and imprisonment is often traumatic, leading to an array of issues.

A 2019 report estimates that around 312,000 children are affected yearly by parental imprisonment in England and Wales.

The National Information Centre on Children of Offenders (NICCO) report that 10,000 children visit public prisons every week in England and Wales.

There may not be precise numbers, but clearly, there will be British children who have parents in prison.

Consider that in 2023, approximately 6,840 male prisoners identified as Asian or British Asian in England and Wales. In early 2024, about 100 women in prisons in England and Wales identified as South Asian.

Not all these British South Asian prisoners will be parents, but the reality is some will be.

DESIblitz explores the impact on British South Asian children when parents are jailed.

Emotional and Psychological Impact

Organisations providing vital support to families impacted by having a loved one in prison stress that the effect on children can be profound.

Organisations like Children Heard and Seen refer to children impacted by arrest and imprisonment as the hidden victims, serving a hidden sentence.

Children who have a parent in prison can frequently experience a range of emotional and psychological difficulties.

Children who experience separation because their parent is jailed face a higher risk of developing mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The sudden loss of a parent can lead to attachment issues, as children may struggle with feelings of abandonment and betrayal.

For example, Research in 2020 found that PTSD is a serious mental health condition among prisoners’ offspring, particularly when mothers are imprisoned.

Ruby Deol*, a 20-year-old British Indian, was 12 when her mother went to prison. Her brother was six.

Looking back at her and her brother’s experiences during that time, she stated:

“When mum got locked up, everything crumbled.

“If it had been dad we would have been heartbroken too, but it would have been different.

“Mum was the one that woke us up for school, took us out, said goodnight before we went to sleep.

“She did everything with my little brother. He was so confused when she vanished, too young to understand what was happening.

“He would cling to me tight the first year, scared I’d disappear like mum.”

With her father and brother struggling to cope, Ruby found herself taking on a mothering role for her little brother. She also took on adult responsibilities to help support her father.

Feelings of Anxiety, Stigma, Shame and Isolation

Children, alongside adults, can experience anxiety, stigma, shame and judgement from others. This results in a sense of isolation rippling through their lives.

Imran Shah*, a 26-year-old British Bangladeshi, recalls the impact on him and his siblings when his dad went to prison:

“We were so tight. It properly messed me and my brothers up. I became withdrawn and anxious.

“I know… to think I had anxiety as a kid, but I did.

“One of my brothers raged during the first year; there were so many fights, and he had a bad attitude. He’s lucky he didn’t get booted from the last school.”

The imprisonment of a loved one can cultivate a culture of secrecy. Adults hide truths from children, and the whole family conceals realities and struggles from the world.

Sonia Ali*, a 33-year-old British Indian, recalls:

“The first year dad was in prison, we thought he was away at work; that’s what mum told us.”

“We were like six and seven, I think. We believed it because he’d been away for work before.

“Get this, when we visited him in prison, we thought it was his workplace. No lie, we were little and so unaware.

“A cousin let slip he had been locked up for being bad, sometime in the second year. My brother freaked and battered my cousin for saying that.

“The fallout was messy. Mum thought she was protecting us, but gently telling the truth would have been better.

“Mum’s shame and need to protect us had her keeping secrets. She hadn’t done anything wrong; it was dad.”

The secrets kept created a sense of isolation and further shame for Sonia and her family. Sonia stated her mother told the school that she and her brother were sick if a prison visit fell on a school day.

Disrupted and Fractured Family Dynamics?

Arrest and imprisonment, along with their consequences, can disrupt and fracture family dynamics and relationships. Sonia’s words above highlight this issue.

Even after release, things do not just go back to how it all once was. People and, thus, relationships change.

Aliyah Bibi*, a 25-year-old British Pakistani, states:

“I was 17 when Aba got himself sent to prison; it cracked our family for ages. Aba was super traditional, so he always sorted the bills and stuff out.

“Ammi and me had to work out what the hell to do. I can’t believe we were so dependent and oblivious.

“It was painful and stressful, but we did it.”

“When Aba came out of prison, we all struggled. Ammi and I didn’t want to go back to the old way.

“We were different from the people he knew before he went in. And he struggled to cope with all the changes in the home and outside.”

Moreover, maintaining contact that helps sustain and develop relationships can be difficult. Indeed, as Nancy Loucks, OBE, CEO of Scottish Charity Families Outside, asserts:

“Imprisonment fractures families, yet we have failed time and again to repair those fractures through strengthening support for family ties.”

She went on to stress there is a need to do several things, such as:

“[…] improve travel and transport for families when someone goes to prison.”

Research shows that people held in prison are up to six times less likely to re-offend if they maintain contact with family during imprisonment.

A meaningful connection between families and loved ones in person can support the health and well-being of all.

Anika Begum*, a 21-year-old British Pakistani and Bangladeshi, said:

“Face-to-face visits are so important, but it gets expensive.

“When Covid hit, we couldn’t see my dad and brother, and it hit everyone hard.

“Felt like we were being punished. The video calls weren’t the same. Catch-22 face-to-face can be too expensive, and video ones can suck.

“We get punished alongside Dad and my brother.”

Educational Impact when Parents are Jailed

Educationally, children with a jailed parent can face significant hurdles.

The instability in their home environment, coupled with emotional distress, can negatively impact their school performance.

Research indicates that these children are more likely to experience concentration difficulties, which can lead to lower grades and higher rates of absenteeism.

The disruptions in their education can have long-term effects, reducing their chances of pursuing higher education and achieving their full potential.

Furthermore, lacking a supportive parental figure can hinder their motivation and ability to engage in school activities.

Aliyah states: “My brother was 12 when Aba got himself sent away, and Aba was the one who rode him to study.

“For the first two years, it was bad. My brother was terrible.

“He wouldn’t listen to mum, wouldn’t do schoolwork and badly messed around at school.

“Luckily, it shifted, but only because Ammi pushed all her fear down, and she became the boss.

“Ammi took the lead with the school and forced my brother into counselling despite Aba throwing a fit.

“Ammi changed for the better, and so did we all at home after the initial hell and confusion.”

Yet, it is also true that education may not be negatively impacted. Each child and family is different.

Ruby revealed: “I wanted mum and dad not to stress.

“Wanted me and my brother to make them smile, so unlike before it all happened, I knuckled down with school.

“Mum’s smile the first time she saw a school report when we visited made it worth it.

“I made sure to help my brother, too. Mum read with him before bed, so I did that, and I helped with his school work.”

When a parent is jailed, children can feel a sense of responsibility to ensure they do not add to worries. Thus, some, like Ruby, join adulthood much sooner than usual.

The Cycles of Crime and its Dangers

The long-term implications for children with jailed parents can be severe.

Studies have shown that children are at a higher risk of becoming involved in criminal activities themselves. Thus perpetuating a cycle of crime and imprisonment.

HM Inspectorate of Probations has reported:

“Crime has, in fact, been found to be concentrated in certain families [..]”

“[…] one in twenty families accounting for half of all convictions, with a range of factors linked to the inter-generational transmission of crime.”

Aliyah recalls the fear she and her mother faced:

“The first two years, me and Ammi were scared my brother would end up dead or locked up.

“We’d heard stories at the visiting centre where Aba was. Boys inspired by their dad’s and cousin’s crimes, or angry and going down a bad path.

“Saw the pain and stress on the mums who spoke to us; they aged overnight. With us, yeah, things got to hell, but we didn’t reach that stage of hell.”

The family can provide a protective environment, as was the case for Aliyah’s brother.

The risk of the intergenerational cycle of crime and punishment highlights the need for targeted interventions to support vulnerable children.

Support and Interventions

Support and interventions need to be structurally embedded into societies. If this does not occur, children impacted when a parent is jailed will continue to suffer.

In June 2024, no systematic recording and monitoring system was in place to show how many children are impacted when one or both parents are jailed.

The lack of monitoring and recording needs to change if structured support is to be given successfully. A fact that many charities and organisations have stressed.

Moreover, institutions such as schools must also be aware of what is happening and involved where support is needed.

The London Early Years Foundation (LEYF), alongside charity the Prison Advice and Care Trust (PACT), have produced a pack to help.

The pack shares guidance on supporting children with a loved one in prison. It includes practical ideas for encouraging emotional intelligence, helping the child at home, and preparing for a prison visit.

The impact of having a parent in prison on a child can be profound and far-reaching. It can affect almost every aspect of their lives.

From emotional and psychological distress to social isolation, educational disadvantages, and economic hardship, the challenges these children face are significant.

Overall, a coordinated effort from the government, non-profit organisations, schools, and the community is needed.

Children, as the hidden victims of the criminal justice system, require societal and state attention and support to break the cycle of disadvantage and build a more just and compassionate society.

Cultural nuances must be recognised for support to be successful. Interventions and support frameworks need to be tailored to each family and child.

Organisations families/children in Britain can receive support from include:

• Himaya Haven CIC
• Prisoners’ Families Helpline
• Children Heard and Seen
• Prisoner Advice and Care Trust (PACT)
• Partners of Prisoners (POPS)
• The Ebb Leicester (Leicestershire)
• Families Outside (Scotland)