We support children and young people affected by the criminal justice system and work to break the cycle of intergenerational disadvantage.

Our programs

We design and deliver programs with the local community, supported by research.

Each program connects, reconnects and strengthens the child-parent relationship. We do this through education, support and mentoring. Our programs are in prison centres and communities within Queensland, NSW, ACT and Victoria.

Outcomes based research

We create outcomes-based accountability frameworks for all programs.

We grow and share our research with others to achieve the greatest social impact.

We create and take part in innovative research on how the criminal justice system affects children, young people and families.

Leading voice

We use our knowledge and expertise to influence government, business, non-government organisations and the wider community.

We lead program design, policy and public discussions about the needs of children and young people affected by the criminal justice system.

We influence policy directions about vulnerable children, carers and families.

We are a trusted and respected voice in the community and advocate to help children and young people affected by the criminal justice system.

There are approximately 43,000 children with an incarcerated parent in Australia. In NSW, there are over 5,000 children who use our services.

Often it is very difficult to maintain the parent-child bond when a parent is in prison. The parent may in a prison far away from the family home, making it difficult to visit. This results in a lack of quality one-on-one time spent with the parent in prison. The family may also have financial and housing difficulties and social insecurity.

We find there is a lack of understanding of the needs of children with a parent in prison. We need a whole of community approach to support families and children during an incredibly stressful time. Results from our programs include:

• Positive engagement in community
• Strengthened family and community connections
• Breaking the cycle of intergenerational offending
• Ensuring children are not disadvantaged by providing family support
• Children feel less isolated when they meet other children affected by having a parent in prison

Innovation

We are always looking for ways to improve so we can reach more children and families. We encourage and support innovation throughout the organisation to meet the growing need for our services, whether it’s within our programs, partnerships, fundraising activities, marketing or operational processes.