Good news
At the end of last year, we received exciting news that our partner, Life without crime (RETS), received a grant from the Alli Paasikivi Foundation for developing peer and expert-by-experience activities for children and families affected by parental incarceration. Research is strongly integrated into this development project. Congratulations to RETS and thanks to the Alli Paasikivi Foundation!
Our research group was strengthened at the beginning of February when Essi Julin joined as a postdoctoral researcher on the project.
– For me, the theme of children affected by parental incarceration brings a new perspective to my prior research, as well as to child protection and family services, and the chains of intergenerational disadvantage.
Events
The research group has presented the project in various contexts and networks. For example, in September, PI Rosi Enroos discussed the project with the title Controversial Family Relationships in the Shadow of Prison at a seminar organized by the Centre of Excellence on Social Welfare in the regions of Kanta-Häme, Pirkanmaa and Satakunta (Pikassos). The recording can be viewed here (in Finnish). Additionally, we organized an afternoon for social workers in the Pirkanmaa area in November to inform them about the research project. During the afternoon, we shared information about prisoners’ children and families and discussed how the project can support practical work and vice versa. A warm thank you to everyone who participated!
Discussions about the project and its topics will continue in February at a seminar organized by PERLA – the Tampere Centre for Childhood, Youth, and Family Research. In the seminar we will discuss how to conduct research on a socially invisible group of children experiencing parental incarceration and the current challenges of researching children and families in vulnerable situations. You can register for the event through this link.
Our research group will also participate in the National Social Work Research Conference in Rovaniemi (May 15–16 2025, University of Lapland). We have proposed a working group titled (14) Research on invisible children and families in vulnerable situations. Instructions for submitting abstracts, working group descriptions and other information about the conference can be found here.
**
In general, during the spring season, the research group will work intensively on the project in cooperation with our partners Pirha and RETS, and prepare the training of the supportive parenting intervention, which will be piloted as part of the project!