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Changing Mindsets, Changing Minds: Conference on the Rights of Children of Offenders

Children whose parents have been incarcerated have often been referred to as “invisible victims of crime and the penal system”. It is well accepted that the absence of a parent for a prolonged period of time will affect the physical and mental wellbeing of all family members including children. Moreover, it can affect the academic performance of children and may trigger bullying and social exclusion. It will inevitably impact negatively on the family’s finances.  At the same time, evidence shows that supporting prisoner’s families has positive outcomes for them as well as the wider community with prisoners being more likely to successfully reintegrate as a result.

UCC School of Law are hosting a one day international Conference of an interdisciplinary nature highlighting the rights of children affected by family imprisonment. The aim of this innovative event is to bring together key professionals, researchers as well as those actively working in this area to share best practice and knowledge. Key note speakers will include the world renowned Justice Albie Sachs, a former Judge from the South African Constitutional Court.   Other international experts in this area will share their specialist expertise such as Ben Raikes, Senior Lecturer in Social Work, University of Huddersfield, Shona Minson, University of Oxford, and Lucy Gampell, Director of Children of Prisoners Europe. This event will also provide a platform for the NGO sector as well as those directly affected by family imprisonment. International practice perspectives will be drawn from England, Northern Ireland and Europe more generally, while national experiences and initiatives will also be highlighted. The impact of family imprisonment will be dealt with via the sharing of family experiences in panel discussions as well as a unique Children’s Art exhibition, to be hosted in Jennings Art Gallery UCC, which will provide attendees with a critical insight into the views of children and young people affected by imprisonment in Ireland.

The event is kindly supported by the Irish Research Council, UCC Strategic Research Fund, UCC College of Business and Law and the Centre for Criminal Justice and Human Rights, UCC.

For further information concerning this event please see here

For registration details: please contact School of Law, Events Manager: Noreen Delea n.delea@ucc.ie; 021 4903220.

To Book follow the link here

For event information please contact the conference convenors: Dr Fiona Donson (f.donson@ucc.ie) /Dr Aisling Parkes (a.parkes@ucc.ie)

5 CPD points available

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