Children of Prisoners Europe (COPE) is a European-wide network which encourages innovative perspectives and practice to ensure that children with a parent in prison enjoy their rights under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, and that action is taken to enable well-being and healthy development.
The COPE network, previously known as Eurochips (European Action Research Committee on Children of Imprisoned Parents), has been enhancing the visibility of children of prisoners across Europe and promoting child-friendly support initiatives which help maintain the child-parent bond since its founding in 2000. Today, COPE continue to act as a voice for prisoners' children by raising awareness with judges, schools, childcare professionals, prison staff and other organisations that may come into contact with prisoners' children. COPE also provide forums to encourage discussions, good ideas and practice for children of prisoners, and have been working to obtain more accurate information and data on the number of children affected. From this development COPE are aiming to explore the psychological and social impact of parental imprisonment and to highlight the importance of maintaining family ties. COPE also offers training to professionals and volunteers. COPE aims to: Expand programmes that support the child-parent relationship and help minimise disruption. Introduce the perspective of the child throughout all stages of the criminal justice system. Foster cross-sphere collaboration among public and private agencies involved in supporting and making decisions about children and their imprisoned parents. Gain better and more accurate information on children with parents in prison. Enhance the competence of professionals working within the field.
See COPE for further information. E: contact@networkcope.eu T: + 33 (0) 1 42 53 71 85 A: 4-6 rue Charles Floquet, BP 38 W:
