Study aims to provide greater support to families with a loved one in prison

A young boy sits on a woman's lap, nestled into her chest. He is staring sadly into the camera, she has her cheek resting on the top of his head.

Enhancement of the support currently offered to families with a parent or primary carer in prison is the goal of the ‘Families First’ project, a two-year study led by The Open University’s (OU) Children’s Research Centre, in partnership with charity YSS.

Academics from the Faculty of WELS, Dr Victoria Cooper and Professor Jane Payler, both of the School of Education, Childhood, Youth and Sport, are working with Dr Stephanie Jane Bennett (Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences) to better understand the lived experiences of families and whether there are shared commonalities in the issues they face.

Dr Cooper says:
“The families of prisoners are often overlooked and at times marginalised. They carry the burden of social stigma and can face emotional and financial difficulties. This study will bring to life these experiences, raise awareness and provide greater targeted support through YSS and the Families First project.”

Funded by Worcestershire County Council, the study will draw on quantitative and qualitative methods, including surveys and in-depth interviews, with initial findings from the study due to be released in 2022. The first survey, ‘Families with a Parent in Prison, is open now and only takes 10 minutes to complete.

About YSS
YSS provide community focused support to enable people who face significant life challenges to feel safe and to have the opportunity to thrive and realise their potential.

For further information on this and other research from the OU Children’s Research Centre, please visit: https://wels.open.ac.uk/research/childrens-research-centre/research

Read 'OU partners with YSS' on OU News.