Service Network for Children of Inmates

The Service Network for Children of Inmates strives to positively impact the lives of children and caregivers directly affected by parental incarceration. While there are currently more than 15,000 Miami-Dade children with incarcerated parents, we acknowledge that we cannot possibly identify them all within our first year; as a result, we are committed to identifying more than 750 of these children in our first 12 months. We hope to engage 430 children in participating in efforts to programs that will help address their needs and improve communications with their caregivers and incarcerated parents. We anticipate referring and enrolling 225 of these children in ongoing care coordination services These programs and services include:

Facilitated referrals which will put families in touch with other partners that can best serve their needs. Many families do not seek services because they are scared or intimidated by the paperwork that must be filled out. We help guide them through this often confusing process.
Communication services (i.e. letter writing, Story-Time Moms). When it is appropriate, Children of Inmates helps children compose letters to their incarcerated parent. We are also working with the Florida Department of Corrections to participate in a Story-Time Moms program where incarcerated mother can read stories to their children on tapes. Our staff delivers the recording and the book to the children. We work hard to develop the bond that is so critical between the children and adults in their lives.
Bus trips to visit incarcerated parents, when appropriate. These trips further assist in the development of the bond between parent and child. Our initial bus trip is being planned to visit the Lowell Correctional Institution for Women, located in Ocala and will be supervised by our staff and trained volunteers.