| When a parent goes to prison, it can affect a child | | | | parent going to prison is the only parent a child has? |
| forever. In many situations, children are left home in | | | | If a family member is not going to take custody of |
| a stressful environment or sent to foster homes. | | | | the children they will be awarded to the state. |
| What can a family do if a parent is sent to prison? It | | | | Here is what a number of single parents have chosen |
| is a difficult thing to have your family split apart in | | | | to do: |
| any situation, but the challenges of prison and family | | | | If you are a single parent facing a prison term, you |
| life are very unique. What do you do if you are the | | | | can consider open adoption as an option. Through |
| only parent for your children and you are about to be | | | | adoption, you can choose loving adoptive parents for |
| sentenced to prison? There are options, which I will | | | | your child. You get to decide where they will go and |
| share with you. | | | | who will parent them, since you will be unable to. You |
| Many families have a difficult time relating after a | | | | can keep the children together and still stay in |
| parent is sentenced to prison. The spouse or other | | | | contact with them. It is traumatic enough for a child |
| parent is left at home and is now responsible for the | | | | to have a parent go to prison, but being moved from |
| entire house, including the bills and stress of raising | | | | foster home to foster home or separated from their |
| the children as a single parent. This stress can be | | | | siblings will make it even worse for the child. |
| overwhelming. Some spouses are angry and often | | | | Through open adoption, you can find a family to |
| feel that their punishment is even worse than their | | | | parent your child in a way that you would if you |
| partner who was sent to prison. At least in prison | | | | were there. You can work with the adoptive family |
| you get to have friends and interact with others, but | | | | and discuss what would make you comfortable in |
| left home alone you hardly have time to think. Some | | | | making your decision. If you are going to be in prison |
| situations leave kids scattered between relatives, | | | | for a length of time, it could set your mind at ease |
| sleeping on the couch or in sleeping bags. | | | | knowing your children had a stable loving home to be |
| Keeping your children's relationship strong with the | | | | raised in. Counselors can help explain adoption to you |
| parent that was sent to prison will be hard. Children | | | | and your children when you are ready. There is no |
| will often withdraw from that parent and not be | | | | cost to you to go through an adoption plan. |
| interested in going to visit them. It is not because | | | | All the legal work is paid for by the adoptive parents |
| they don't love their parent, it is just because they | | | | and the choices are up to you if you decide before |
| can feel the tension around the situation and want to | | | | you check in for your term. There are a number of |
| do what they can to avoid feeling that way. | | | | waiting families of all ethnic backgrounds and faiths to |
| Besides being traumatized by one of their parents | | | | select from. |
| going to prison, it is difficult for children to understand | | | | You can make a good choice as to your child's future |
| and they often have to deal with it under extreme | | | | with Lifetime Adoption's help. |
| conditions at home as well. What happens if the | | | | |