Supporting incarcerated fathers: An exploration of research and practice in Victoria, Australia

Abstract

In recent decades the number of incarcerated parents has increased on a global scale. The majority of these prisoners are men, yet there has been very little formal attention concerning the parenting status of these men, despite knowledge about the impact of parental incarceration on children being well established. In Victoria, Australia, some 93 per cent of prisoners are men, and more than half of these are fathers, yet they have also attracted limited scholarly and practitioner attention. This article explores research and practice accounts regarding support for incarcerated fathers and their children, particularly emphasising visiting, supported/visiting and fathering units, to build knowledge in Victoria. To do so it examines 36 publications from 2000 to 2018, addressing a gap in knowledge relating to supporting father-child relationships from prison. It concludes by offering pragmatic solutions for the development of supports that will contribute to the maintenance of these relationships.