Directory of Research

All research and evidence on NICCO is reviewed using a Quality Assessment Tool (QAT) developed by the University of Huddersfield and Barnardo's.

Research and evidence is assessed in four key areas: Methodological Quality, Child-Centredness, Relevance to Policy and Strategy, and Relevance to Practice with offender's children. This ensures that items on the NICCO website are as useful as possible to academics, practitioners, commissioners and other professionals. For more information about the development of the QAT or to review research in order to list it on NICCO, please see the QAT webpage where you can download the Tool, Guidebook and a short step-by-step 'How To' document. Please contact us to submit quality assessed research on to NICCO.

Click on the icons to see a full list of items which have been awarded a standard icon or icon+ (for items which have scored particularly highly) in each key area:

Child-Centredness

Relevance to Policy

Methodological Quality

Relevance to Practice

73. Choking to death: should we stop sending women to prison?
This article looks, in the context of proposed and current policy changes, at the negative experiences of women in UK prisons in comparison to non custodial sentences. The article notes the adversity faced by children, the family unit and society in general when mothers goes to prison. There are moving accounts from women who have been in prison and involved with the criminal justice system. See the full article on women in prison below:
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74. Prisonomics: Behind bars in Britain's failing prisons
Economist Vicky Pryce was imprisoned in East Sussex Park women's open prison after a very public trial for 3 months for perverting the course of justice. She kept a diary in which she uses her experience and professional understanding of economics to analyse how the prison system should and does work, how it treats women and the costs to the economy and society. She writes specifically about the economical and emotional impact of imprisonment on the children and families of women who...
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75. Realising the Rights of Every Child Everywhere- Moving Forward with the EU
This report, published in light of the 2014 European Parliament elections and the 25th Anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), holds perspective articles from over 20 pan European directors, executives, officers and other actors who work to defend the rights of children. Included is an article from Elizabeth Ayre, the Director of the European Network for Children of Imprisoned Parents on page 48. The article notes the impact on and interests of children of...
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76. Parenting and Relationship Support Programmes for Offenders and Their Families
This report provides an overview of the commissioning and provider landscape in regards to services that work with offenders and their families, along with ideas for improvement. The executive summary presents key findings around the impact of imprisonment on families and the strategic responses to these families needs, as well as summing up the family services landscape and current commissioning practice. Evidence on outcomes and best practice on commissioning family services and in...
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77. The Impact of Family Involvement in the Criminal Justice System (Non-Imprisonment) on Children's Outcomes
This evidence summary looks at the impact of family offending on children's outcomes, focusing on non-imprisonment (e.g. suspended sentences, community sentences, etc). It also explores evidence of interventions that support children of offenders that have not been imprisoned. The summary highlights that where there is parental involvement with the Criminal Justice System (CJS), it is important to address the parents' support needs, as these can significantly impact on their...

78. Children of prisoners: exploring the impact of families' reappraisal of the role and status of the imprisoned parent on children's coping strategies
You need a Taylor & Francis Online ID to access the full article. This peer-reviewed article looks at the influence of adults' interpretations and the way issues of parental imprisonment are talked about in families on children's methods of coping with parental imprisonment. It explores how families' approaches to the issue may be based on openness and honesty or may emphasise privacy and secrecy, or a combination of these. The article argues that children are likely to be...
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