Parenting Support in Prison

From Rights to Practices

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31211/interacoes.n48.2025.a7

Keywords:

Children’s Rights, Families, Parenting, Parenting Programs, Incarceration

Abstract

This paper provides a narrative literature review on the impact of incarceration of a parental figure in the development and well-being of children. It concludes that these have a higher risk of developing, in the future, mental health problems. As for the family of the incarcerated person, negative effects in family dynamics are highlighted, particularly regarding parenthood and conjugal relations. At the same time, it identifies a group of studies on actions to promote positive and responsive parenting in incarceration, with promising results regarding the improvement of the quality of parent-children relationships, and the reduction of recidivism. Therefore, despite the limitations shown by the literature being reviewed in this paper and its implications for future research, this paper aims to highlight the potentialities of parental intervention in the context of incarceration while emphasising that this type of relational support can become a way of materialising Rights, particularly Children’s Rights.

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Published

2025-06-29

How to Cite

Coutinho, I., Gaspar, M. F., & Alarcão, M. (2025). Parenting Support in Prison: From Rights to Practices. Interações: Sociedade E As Novas Modernidades, (48), 177–202. https://doi.org/10.31211/interacoes.n48.2025.a7

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Articles