Child Impact Assessment: report of phase three activities
PRT has today published a report on phase three of the Child Impact Assessment project. Phase three ran from October 2024 to December 2025 and focused on what needs to change so that children are offered the right support at every stage of a parent’s journey through the justice system and how Child Impact Assessments can help.
PRT published the Child Impact Assessment framework in December 2022 to ensure children who have a parent in the justice system feel listened to, supported and included in decision-making about that support. The project is led by PRT associate Sarah Beresford OBE and is generously funded by the Dulverton Trust.
Phase one of the project ran from September 2021 to December 2022 and focused on the development of the Child Impact Assessment resources.
Phase two of the project ran from February 2023 to September 2024 and focused on the dissemination and implementation of the Child Impact Assessment resources.
During phase three of the project, at least 161 children used a Child Impact Assessment to identify their support needs and any actions that would help them.
Training about Child Impact Assessments was delivered to 654 staff from across the sectors (education, health, social work, prison and probation, police, voluntary sector and academia). This training often included participation from children and young people with experience of parental imprisonment who are part of the Time-Matters UK support group.
Other activities included:
- informing the government’s manifesto commitment to recognise and support children with a parent in prison
- supporting the Scottish government in their considerations of how to support children impacted by parental imprisonment
- informing considerations of how to take account of the impact on children within sentencing decisions
- informing policy and practice related to prisons, police, probation and the Parole Board
- adapting the Child Impact Assessment resources
A highlight of phase three was the Right here, right now! event. Funded by the Firebird Collective, the event was co-developed and facilitated by children and young people with experience of parental imprisonment. Participants called for a shift from adult-focused to child-led approaches, and for structural reforms that make support a right rather than a privilege.
As one participant said:
“Collaboration is essential – having all the voices around the table, including those with lived experience, is critical in developing informed, realistic and child-centred policy and practice.”
Phase four of this work is well under way. It is exploring how child-centred policy and practice can be embedded in existing systems of support. Children have told us what they need; now the systems around them must listen.
Commenting, PRT Associate Sarah Beresford OBE, said:
“Over the past five years we have seen what is possible when practitioners across education, health, justice, social care, and the voluntary sector use Child Impact Assessments to ensure children are listened to, supported and included. Phase three of this project shows that change is achievable if we start by listening to children. I am hugely grateful to the children and young people whose experience and leadership have shaped this work and to the funders who have made this possible.”
