Help those struggling with the pain and loss of having a family member in prison. The resources on this page will equip you to reach out to hurting children and their caregivers. (Please click on the + to view more resources.)
Ministry Basics
FAQs About Children of Prisoners
Gain insight into the problems children face when a parent goes to prison.
Impact of Incarceration on Children
Take a look at the confusing emotions felt by children of the incarcerated.
Impact of Incarceration on Caregivers
Children aren't the only ones who suffer when mom or dad goes to prison.
Biblical Basis for Family Ministry
Scripture guides us on how and why to reach out to the families of the incarcerated.
Needs of Prisoners' Families
Find out more about the greatest needs of children and their caregivers.
Ministry Tools
Ready for Family Ministry?
Use this tool to evaluate your level of preparedness for helping families of the incarcerated.
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Family Embraced Toolkit
Increase your ministry team’s vision and capacity for helping children and caregivers.
Short-Term Ministry
Help with Angel Tree Christmas
Show children that their parents in prison have not forgotten them.
Send a Kid to Camp
Sending a child with an incarcerated parent to a Christian summer camp is a great way to share God’s love.
Lead Weekend Marriage Seminars
Bring hope to couples trying to survive the challenges of incarceration.
Long-Term Ministry
Build a Year-Round Ministry
Continue to encourage and support prisoners’ families throughout the year.
Pray for Prisoners' Families
Lift up the needs of children and families as they struggle to rebuild their lives.
Reach Out to Families in Crisis
Create a welcoming atmosphere of healing for families of the incarcerated.
Mentor Children of Prisoners
A relationship with a caring adult helps build character, resolve painful emotions, and curb harmful behaviors.
Recommended Reading
Ministry with Prisoners and Families
Scholars, ministry practitioners, pastors, and formerly incarcerated individuals discuss ways to create authentic relational encounters with prisoners and their families.
A New Kind of Normal
After her only son was sentenced to life in prison, Carol Kent and her husband started a new ministry for prisoners and their families.
Learning to Sing in a Strange Land
A look at the experience of incarceration from the perspectives of prisoners and their families.
RECENT BLOG POSTS ABOUT FAMILY MINISTRY
When a Father Really Does Know Best
Let's be honest: Even when the years pass, and we're good and 'grown,' are we really in charge of our lives?more »Mom and Daughter Share Testimony of Restoration at Hope Event
Annie Goebel and her daughter know from experience what it’s like to be separated from your loved ones because of incarceration. At a recent Hope Event in South Dakota, the mother and daughter teamed up …more »When Families Serve a Prison Sentence: A Caregiver’s Story
When her grown daughter went to prison, Karen accepted the dual role of Mom and Grandma to take care of two little ones. It was the most difficult thing she’s ever done—and she would do …more »