Netherland's Morther - Child Progam

Of the prison population in The Netherlands, 6% are female. 70 to 80 % of them are mothers, a majority of whom , approximately 70%, are lone-carers. Imprisonment of mothers is not only a sentence to the mother, it affects her whole family. In reality also the children are punished and can be severely damaged. In the Netherlands children can stay with their mother until they are nine months old. In the Ter Peel prison of there are special facilities for children until the age of four, but only if there is not a better alternative. Volunteers, acting as ‘mother-pals' give practical and emotional support. Children who are not with their mother can get help from a volunteer who picks them up for a visit to their mother in prison. Booklets are available to help the mothers explaining what a prison is, how prison life looks like and why she is there. Female prisoners who have children need special attention, support and specific programmes to help them fulfil their responsibilities as a mother, building a good relation with the children and at the same time working on their rehabilitation and re-socialisation. The interests of the children should always be first.