Although a parent who is incarcerated may not be able to participate fully in his or her child’s case, the parent must be:

  •  notified of any court hearings or legal actions that will be taken regarding his or her child;

  •  interviewed to gather information to fully assess the family;

  •  provided with information about the child;

  •  provided with appropriate services (to the extent available); and

  •  included in case planning as appropriate.

See the Incarcerated Parents Resource GuidePDF Document for guidelines on:

  •  locating incarcerated parents;

  •  visiting an incarceration facility;

  •  engaging an incarcerated parent; and

  •  facilitating contact between a child and an incarcerated parent.

Locating an Incarcerated Parent

When trying to locate a parent, staff must follow the policy in 5230 Service of a Citation.

Engaging an Incarcerated Parent

Incarcerated parents must be involved in case planning and receive a copy of their child’s and their own plan of service, as well as be updated about the case on a regular basis.

All correspondence to the incarcerated parent must be sent via certified mail.

Contact Between a Child and an Incarcerated Parent

When determining contact between the child and the incarcerated parent, the caseworker must consult with his or her supervisor to determine if the child’s safety, permanency and well-being are assured, depending on the reason the parent is incarcerated. The caseworker and supervisor must consider the following issues in determining contact arrangements between the child and the incarcerated parent:

  •  type of contact (face-to-face, letter, telephone, video conferencing, photo sharing);

  •  the child’s desire to have contact with the incarcerated parent;

  •  whether the crime the parent committed has an impact on the child’s safety;

  •  whether the crime the parent committed has an impact on the child’s well-being; and

  •  the impact visiting an incarceration facility may have on the child versus the impact of not visiting. For example, some children are so worried about their parents that seeing them, even through a glass barrier, allays their concerns and reduces anxiety.

If the reason for the parent’s incarceration is due to abuse of the child, and the parent has not been convicted, the caseworker and supervisor must discuss any contact with the prosecuting attorney, attorney representing DFPS, child’s attorney, and CASA if appointed. If the parent has been convicted, the caseworker checks with the incarceration facility to see if there are any restrictions.

If any concerns arise after contact has been initiated between the child and the incarcerated parent, the caseworker must consult his or her supervisor to determine if any changes are needed.