Life Bloom’s team participated in a meeting organized by Faraja Foundation and other partners, to disseminate information on the challenges incarcerated mothers and their children face when it comes to separation when the child reaches 4 years, education provision and a lack of psychosocial support.
It was identified that children of incarcerated mothers face negative impacts from prison routines and violations due to lack of separate cells for the mothers and their children. In addition, there is a lack of an integration policy that ensures the safety and psychosocial needs of both the mother, child and relatives during the separation period of the child which is at the age of 4 years as per the law. Overall, there is a lack of psychosocial and child therapy programs in our prisons.
The foundation called for the establishment of the framework of implementation of the recently launched Kenya Prison Service child policy, mechanisms of interventions of the children of imprisoned mothers, and minimum standards for care of children aged 0-4 years accompanying their mothers to prison, are observed.
This was all in a bid to call on relevant stakeholders to ensure that the incarcerated mothers and their children are fully supported.
