It is estimated that 6,000 children (or 3% of the population under age 18) in Vermont will experience parental incarceration each year.
Kids-A-Part’s mission is to minimize trauma experienced by a child with a parent in prison.
Lund’s Kids-A-Part staff work both within the Chittenden County Correctional Facility, providing support for pregnant and parenting women, as well as supporting children of incarcerated parents and their caregivers as they deal with the impact of parental incarceration. Staff also provides consultation, training and information across the state. This three-pronged approach helps ensure that communities better understand the needs of this population and can be partners in minimizing trauma.
In FY22, KAP served:
- 101 clients from 14 counties and 3 states;
- 55 caregivers;
- 76 children;
- and facilitated 628 parent-child contacts.
This summer, Kids-A-Part was finally able to resume offering in-person parenting groups for the first time since the winter of 2020. Heidi Wener, KAP Case Manager, facilitated a six week group focused on caregiver communication. For families accessing services through KAP, relationships between mom and the child’s caregiver are often strained due in part to the complicated effects of long term substance use. Caregiver communication provides moms with the opportunity to examine their own impact on these relationships and identify steps that may take them and their children towards healing and growth.
Another highlight was being able to provide back packs filled with school supplies to KAP children whose families may not otherwise have been able to afford them. These were delivered to children as they left Mother/Child Visits at the Correctional Facility while others were brought to children during home visits. Brightly colored folders, pencils and markers were received with huge smiles. Special thanks to our friends at Charlotte Congregational Church for organizing this “Back to School Supplies” drive.
Learn more about Kids-A-Part here.
