Michigan Programs for Kids With Incarcerated Parents

Kids with a parent in prison face a set of challenges that can sometimes prove overwhelming. Children whose parents have done time in prison are more likely than other children to end up in prison too. To prevent this from happening and give kids the support they need, there are a number of different programs available, several of which are based in Michigan.

  1. VIP Mentoring

    • A company called Volunteers in Prevention, Probation and Prisons runs a program called VIP Mentoring to match children of incarcerated parents with mentors in Michigan. VIP mentors meet with children for two hours every week to help them out in whichever way the child seems to need. This can mean going for a walk, getting extra help with school work or going to an appointment with a counselor. Mentors are required to pass an extensive screening and background check. They are not allowed to take children for parental visits to the prison or have any other form of contact with the parent who is incarcerated.

    SKIP

    • A program called Save Kids of Incarcerated Parents, or SKIP Inc., offers programs for children with incarcerated parents between the ages of 6 and 16 in Southfield, Michigan. Programs include a family fun night, anger management classes, social enrichment, health and wellness classes and a mentoring program. They also conduct a parental involvement program and a food bank. According to the SKIP Inc. website, they serve between 40 and 50 kids a year.

    Other Programs

    • Project SEEK, or Services to Enable and Empower Kids offers programs for children of incarcerated parents in Flint, Michigan. Services include a family trip program, transportation assistance, support groups and help with family emergencies. The Children's Visitation Program helps children visit their mothers who are incarcerated at Scott's Correctional Facility in Plymouth, Michigan. They also offer help with parole and family reunification plan issues for mothers who have recently been released from prison.

    Benefits

    • According to an article by an organization called Family Impact Seminars, the key to preventing the children of incarcerated parents from ending up in the same position is to support the relationship between the child and the parent who is in prison. Organizations such as the Children's Visitation Program help with this aspect. Although the VIP Mentoring Program does not facilitate visitation, studies in Michigan have shown that it can help reduce problems with alcohol use and violence among the kids in the program.

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