Dear Ms. Lambert,

I am signing this open letter to you on behalf of children with an imprisoned parent in Europe.

At the “Coping with a Parent in Prison: An Agenda for Policy Reform” conference in Brussels in November 2012, you pledged your personal support for children with imprisoned parents in Europe and stated their need for recognition and support at EU and national levels.

During European Prisoners’ Children Week I urge you to help take forward the key COPING Project Recommendation “to promote quality contact for children with their imprisoned parents”.

This Recommendation reinforces a European Parliament Resolution on the particular situation of women in prison and the impact of the imprisonment of parents on a child’s social and family life. This Resolution urges member states to make it easier for imprisoned parents and their children to stay in touch by creating a visiting environment that allows child-centred activities, which enable appropriate parent-child contact. It also reinforces point 24(4) of the European Prison Rules: The arrangements for visits shall be such as to allow prisoners to maintain and develop family relationships in as normal a manner as possible.

COPING research findings suggest that maintaining the child-parent relationship through regular, direct contact with an imprisoned parent is one of the resilience factors to help promote healthy child development and minimize problems for children whose parents are in prison. The findings underscore the importance of contact with fathers as well as mothers. Your role as MEP and your dedication and interest in these overlooked children puts you in a unique position to highlight the child’s right to quality family contact and wellbeing, as stipulated in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the European Prison Rules and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.

I ask you to urge EU member states and associated countries, and their national parliaments to make it easier for imprisoned parents and their children to remain in touch. This can be done by creating child-friendly visiting environments and arrangements that promote quality contact, and by fostering attitudes that support this quality contact. In many countries, NGOs contribute a vital role in arranging appropriate prison visits and supporting this group of children. Collaboration between law enforcement, statutory (or government) agencies and NGOs needs encouragement in order to ensure that these children receive good treatment, information and support – particularly in places where very little NGO work currently exists.

I, along with my fellow signatories, urge you to do everything in your power to help these children through these difficult times in their lives.

Please, help us help them.

Thank you very much for your time and attention to this matter.

Yours sincerely,

Citizen Standing for the Rights of Children with Imprisoned Parents Help us help them - share with your friends, family and colleagues.

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