Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how her Department holds records of children with a parent in prison; and if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of holding this information in (a) a single and (b) multiple databases.

The Ministry of Justice does not hold records of children with a parent in prison. Where professionals are concerned about a child’s welfare, they consider whether a referral to local authority children’s social care is required and should always refer immediately if there is a concern that the child is suffering, or likely to, suffer significant harm (as outlined in the statutory safeguarding guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children (2023)).

Recognising that having a parent in prison is considered an adverse childhood experience and can have a significant impact on a child’s life chances, the Government has committed to ensure children impacted by parental imprisonment are identified and offered the support they need.

We are currently working closely with the Department for Education who hold responsibility for children to determine how we effectively identify these children, where to hold this information, and the best way to provide support for both them and their parent in prison.