Abstract:

Approximately one million children throughout Europe have a parent in prison. Studies have indicated that these children, often referred to as the ‘forgotten victims’ of crime, are at increased risk socially, emotionally, economically and mentally for a variety of reasons. For example, disruption to a child’s routine or living situation, reactions of those around a child to the incarceration, and a child’s own reactions to the situation can result in changes in behaviour, psychosocial development, health, concentration levels, and academic performance.

While there has been increased international interest in the plight of these children in recent years, there has been little attention afforded specifically to the impact that parental incarceration has on children’s academic lives. The current research aims to address this issue, focusing specifically on the impact of paternal incarceration.