Coping with the incarceration of a parent can be difficult for kids and for their caregivers. The following resources are intended to provide support for families in this situation.
Caregiver Support
A stable, supportive relationship with a caregiver can promote resilience for youth impacted by parental incarceration. The following resources for caregivers can help with the challenge of raising a child with incarcerated parents.
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Staying Connected & Staying Strong
A handbook for families and friends of those incarcerated in Minnesota state correctional facilities. -
Resilience Booster: Parent Tip Tool
A helpful tip sheet from the American Psychological Association. -
Co-Parenting: Supporting Parents and Children During Big Changes
The University of Wisconsin offers free and low-cost Zoom classes designed to reduce conflict and support family well-being during big changes. -
Caregiver Guide from Virginia Department of Corrections
A handbook that touches on many aspects of parental incarceration, from coping strategies to family reunification.
Talking to Kids about Incarceration
Kids will likely have questions about their parent’s incarceration. The following tools may help caregivers have age-appropriate conversations with youth about their parent’s incarceration.
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Sesame Workshop: Coping with Incarceration
A video from that Sesame Street that contains strategies adults can use to help kids understand incarceration and the changes it brings. -
Sesame Workshop’s Tips for Parents & Caregivers
A one-page sheet that contains strategies for approaching these conversations with kids. -
Talking with Children about Incarceration
A short list from the University of Wisconsin’s Literacy Link that contains ideas on how to talk with children about jail or prison. -
How to Explain Jails and Prisons to Children: a Caregiver’s Guide
From the Oregon Department of Corrections, will help explain to children and families what it’s like to have an incarcerated family member.
Relationships & Visitation with Incarcerated Parents
For families who want to maintain connections between a child and their incarcerated parent, these resources are aimed to help visits and other contact go more smoothly.
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Caregiver Connection from the University of Wisconsin’s Literacy Link
Helps caregivers determine if their child should maintain a connection with the incarcerated parent. -
Sesame Workshop: Helping Kids Stay Connected
A Sesame Street workshop that help caregivers encourage their child to connect with a family member in prison. -
Letter Writing Tips from the University of Wisconsin’s Literacy Link
Helps children write letters to their incarcerated parents.
Financial Assistance for Caregivers
Caring for a child with an incarcerated parent can place financial strain on a family. These local and virtual resources can help families take control of their finances.
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Prepare and Prosper
A Twin Cities organization that does free tax preparation for individuals and families within a certain income bracket. They also run a Money Mentors program to help people stay on track with their financial goals. -
Thrivent Money Canvas
A free, three-part virtual coaching service that empowers you to build healthier money habits at your pace. -
Wells Fargo’s Financial Health Resources
Contains tools to help people manage debt, prepare for emergencies, and more.
Health & Wellness for Caregivers
In order to take care of children, it’s important to take care of yourself. The following resources contain tools to help caregivers manage stress and prioritize wellness.
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The YMCA of the North’s George Wellbeing Center
Offers wellness workshops, health coaching, acupuncture, and more. They offer a scholarship program for services. -
Sesame Workshop: Caregiver Workshop – Taking Care of Yourself
A workshop from Sesame Street that aims to help caregivers take care of their own needs. -
Affirmations and Self-Care Tools from the Prison Family Alliance
Contains eight short recordings meant to help you get through the difficult time of having a loved one in the prison system.
Therapy for Caregivers and Kids
Therapy can be a useful resource for kids or adults going through difficult situations. The following mental health clinics take a holistic approach to trauma.
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Reviving Roots Therapy and Wellness
Offers Black-centered and Black-affirming holistic mental health and wellness support, including massage therapy and yoga/fitness classes. -
Creative Kuponya
Decolonizes mental health care by providing therapeutic justice to those who have been pushed to the margins. They offer therapy, education and training, and transformative community healing sessions. -
RS Eden
A Twin Cities-based organization that provides comprehensive resources, including individual, couples, and family therapy.
Extracurricular Activities
Research has shown that extracurricular activities such as sports can help build confidence and provide a healthy outlet for youth impacted by parental incarceration. The following are no- to low-cost opportunities for kids to try new activities.
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The Capri Theater
In North Minneapolis, offers several free youth programs throughout the year.
Delegation of Parental Authority (DOPA)
Incarcerated parents may want to consider delegating their parental authority to a caregiver. By doing so, they enable that caregiver to consent to the child’s medical treatment and request school records. You can find more information about how to delegate parental authority using the following links.
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LawHelpMN’s Delegation of Parental Authority
Legal Resources
These organizations may be able to help families with other legal issues that arise from having an incarcerated parent, such as custody, divorce, and expungement.
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Mitchell Hamline School of Law Clinic
A group of Mitchell Hamline School of Law students, alumni, and reference librarians who volunteer to help individuals represent themselves in court. -
Twin Cities Men’s Center Legal Clinic
A monthly Zoom meeting held on the first Wednesday of each month from 7 to 9 p.m. A donation of $5 is requested but not required to attend. -
Volunteer Lawyer Network’s Courthouse and Community Clinics
Offers in-person, Zoom, and telephone clinics on a variety of topics and at various locations around the Twin Cities.
Tutoring & Mentoring
Youth impacted by parental incarceration sometimes need extra support when it comes to staying engaged with school. Others may benefit from working with a mentor.
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Hennepin County Library Homework Help
Offers free online and in-person tutoring and writing help for K-12 students at a variety of library locations. -
Bolder Options
Provides wellness-based mentoring for middle school youth. Youth and mentors meet once a week for 2-4 hours, every week, for one year. -
Big Brothers Big Sisters Twin Cities
Matches youth ages 8-13 (Littles) with caring adult mentors (Bigs) to spend time together in the community doing activities they both enjoy.
Education for Caregivers
Transformation and Re-entry Through Education and Community (TREC) supports individuals involved in the criminal legal system (including family members of incarcerated individuals) to attend college and connect to jobs. The TREC Partnership offers an associate degree track through Minneapolis College and a bachelor’s degree track through Metropolitan State University.
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TREC at Minneapolis College
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TREC at Metro State University
Helpful Newsletters
Subscribe to the following newsletters to stay up-to-date on community resources and events for families impacted by incarceration.
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Transition Coalition Newsletter
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MN Justice Research Center Newsletter
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Children of Incarcerated Caregivers Newsletter