Table 4.
Mothers’ needs as identified by women, stakeholders and professionals in relation to the identified themes in the review
| Themes | Needs | In prison | Post-release | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Individual Needs | ||||
| Prison as a traumatic space | Culturally appropriate trauma informed support | x | x | (Baldry, 2009; Baldry et al., 2008a) |
| Ongoing cycle of disadvantage | Drug and alcohol services | x | x | (Burgess, 2016; ESSQ Community Services Consultancy, 2018; Stone, 2013) |
| Mental health services | x | x | (Burgess, 2016; Stone, 2013; Walker et al., 2019) | |
| Domestic violence services | x | x | (Baldry, 2009; Baldry et al., 2008a) | |
| Family counselling | x | x | (Baldry, 2009; Baldry et al., 2008a; Frye & Dawe, 2008; Stone, 2013) | |
| Legal advice | x | x | (Baldry, 2009; Baldry et al., 2008a; Baldry et al., 2008b; Burgess, 2016) | |
| Physical health services | x | x | (ESSQ Community Services Consultancy, 2018) | |
| Transitional and long-term housing | x | (Baldry, 2009; Baldry et al., 2008a; ESSQ Community Services Consultancy, 2018; Flynn, 2008; Perry et al., 2009; Perry et al., 2011; Rossiter et al., 2015, b; Stone, 2013; Stone et al., 2015; Walker, 2018) | ||
| Educational and vocational training | x | x | (Baldry et al., 2008a; Stone, 2013; Stone et al., 2015) | |
| Addressing poverty and other systemic factors which perpetuate crime | x | (Johnson et al., 2019; Stone, 2013) | ||
| Transition out of prison as a vulnerable period | Pre-release planning | x | (Flynn, 2008) | |
| Continuity of care | x | (Baldry, 2009; Baldry et al., 2008a; ESSQ Community Services Consultancy, 2018; Frye & Dawe, 2008; Stone, 2013; Stone et al., 2015; Stone et al., 2017) | ||
| Services which address intersecting needs | x | (Burgess, 2016; ESSQ Community Services Consultancy, 2018; Frye & Dawe, 2008; Stone, 2013) | ||
| Intensive post-release health support for women with complex health needs | x | (Burgess, 2016; ESSQ Community Services Consultancy, 2018; Frye & Dawe, 2008; Stone, 2013) | ||
| Needs related to children | ||||
| Mothers Identity and maternal role in prison | Support for parenting and parenting skills | x | x | (Baldry, 2009; Baldry et al., 2008a; Baldry et al., 2008b; Flynn, 2008, 2014; Frye & Dawe, 2008; Perry et al., 2011; Rossiter et al., 2016; Rossiter et al., 2015, b; Stone, 2013; Walker et al., 2019; Walker, 2018) |
| Involvement in planning care arrangements for children including time to plan and realistic expectations of risk of imprisonment at sentencing | x | (Burgess, 2016; Flat Out Inc. and VACRO, 2006; Flynn, 2008; Flynn, 2013) | ||
| Access to parenting programs | x | (Frye & Dawe, 2008; Perry et al., 2009; Perry et al., 2011; Rossiter et al., 2016; Rossiter et al., 2015, b) | ||
| Pre-release planning | x | (Flynn, 2008) | ||
| Legal and other support to assist with reunification with children | x | (Burgess, 2016; ESSQ Community Services Consultancy, 2018; Flat Out Inc. and VACRO, 2006; Flynn, 2008, 2011; Frye & Dawe, 2008; Perry et al., 2009; Perry et al., 2011; Rossiter et al., 2016; Rossiter et al., 2015, b; Stone et al., 2015; Stone et al., 2017; Walker, 2018) | ||
| Importance and disruption of mother-child relationship | A range of options for positive ongoing contact, including predictable and high quality in-person visits with children in safe, conducive environments and affordable, flexible contact via phone and mail | x | (Baldry, 2009; Baldry et al., 2008a; Flat Out Inc. and VACRO, 2006; Flynn, 2008; Flynn, 2013; Flynn, 2014; Perry et al., 2009; Perry et al., 2011; Stone, 2013; Stone et al., 2017) | |
| Broader access to in-prison residential care arrangements for children that does not routinely exclude women on remand | x | (Walker, 2018) | ||
| In-prison residential care arrangements for children | x | (Walker, 2018) | ||
| Facilitation of contact through coordination with child protection services | (Flat Out Inc. and VACRO, 2006) | |||
| Ensuring the needs and rights of the child are met | Children’s needs | |||
| Housing | x | x | (Baldry, 2009; Baldry et al., 2008b; Burgess, 2016; Flat Out Inc. and VACRO, 2006; Perry et al., 2009; Una Stone et al., 2015; Stone et al., 2017) | |
| Care arrangements | x | x | (Burgess, 2016; Flat Out Inc. and VACRO, 2006; Flynn, 2008, 2011, 2012; Flynn, 2013; Stone, 2013; Stone et al., 2017; Walker et al., 2019) | |
| Schooling | x | x | (Baldry et al., 2008b; Flat Out Inc. and VACRO, 2006) | |
| Physical health | x | x | (Walker, 2018) | |
| Safety | x | x | (Flat Out Inc. and VACRO, 2006; Perry et al., 2009) | |
| Emotional support | x | x | (Baldry, 2009; Baldry et al., 2008a; Baldry et al., 2008b; Flat Out Inc. and VACRO, 2006; Flynn, 2008, 2014; Frye & Dawe, 2008) | |
| Contact with parent | x | x | (Baldry, 2009; Baldry et al., 2008a; Baldry et al., 2008b; Flat Out Inc. and VACRO, 2006; Flynn, 2008, 2014; Frye & Dawe, 2008). | |
| Children who live in adult prisons | ||||
| Formalised support for mothers in mother and children units | x | (Walker, 2018) | ||
| Access to healthcare | x | (Walker, 2018) | ||
| Access to education | x | (Walker, 2018) | ||
| Needs related to community and family | ||||
| Social and family support (or lack thereof) | Family and social support | x | x | (Baldry, 2009; Baldry et al., 2008a; Flat Out Inc. and VACRO, 2006; Flynn, 2008, 2011, 2012; Frye & Dawe, 2008; Perry et al., 2009; Rossiter et al., 2015, b; Stone, 2013; Walker, 2018) |
| Stigma | Non-stigmatising support services | x | x | (Rossiter et al., 2015, b) |
| Systems and services | ||||
| Accessibility, affordability and acceptability of services, including government and statutory services | Comprehensive health services | x | x | (ESSQ Community Services Consultancy, 2018) |
| Strengths based | x | x | (Rossiter et al., 2016; Stone, 2013) | |
| Provided by trusted individuals | x | x | (Baldry, 2009; Baldry et al., 2008b; ESSQ Community Services Consultancy, 2018; Frye & Dawe, 2008; Stone, 2013; Stone et al., 2015) | |
| Flexible | x | x | (Baldry et al., 2008a; Stone, 2013; Stone et al., 2017) | |
| Long term | x | x | (Frye & Dawe, 2008; Stone, 2013) | |
| Continuity between prison and release | x | x | (Baldry, 2009; Baldry et al., 2008a; ESSQ Community Services Consultancy, 2018; Frye & Dawe, 2008; Stone, 2013; Stone et al., 2015; Stone et al., 2017) | |
| Focus on rehabilitation | x | x | (Stone et al., 2015; Stone et al., 2017) | |
| Individualised and intensive | x | x | (Baldry, 2009; Baldry et al., 2008b; ESSQ Community Services Consultancy, 2018; Frye & Dawe, 2008; Stone, 2013; Stone et al., 2017) | |
| Co-ordinated across agencies | x | x | (Baldry, 2009; Baldry et al., 2008a; Baldry et al., 2008b; ESSQ Community Services Consultancy, 2018; Flat Out Inc. and VACRO, 2006; Flynn, 2008; Frye & Dawe, 2008; Stone, 2013; Stone et al., 2017) | |
| Culturally appropriate | x | x | (Baldry, 2009; Baldry et al., 2008a; Baldry et al., 2008b) | |
| Family focused child protection and housing services | x | x | (Stone et al., 2015) | |
| Invisibility of parenting role in government service provision | Formal processes which recognise parenting status at all stages of contact with the justice system, including arrest, sentencing, imprisonment and release | x | x | (Flat Out Inc. and VACRO, 2006; Flynn, 2008) |
| Formal supportive frameworks for residential mother’s and children’s programmes | x | x | (Walker, 2018) | |
| Successes and barriers to parenting programs in prison | Access to parenting programs which address parenting issues for both younger and older children and acknowledge separation from children | x | (Perry et al., 2009; Perry et al., 2011) |