Learn about our partners in the Global Prison Nursery Network.
Global Prison Nursery Network Partners
The Aangan Trust
The Aangan Trust, India, has dedicated over 22 years to advocating and protecting the rights of vulnerable children, with a significant focus on those impacted by parental incarceration. Recognizing the profound impact incarceration has on children, Aangan partnered with the Maharashtra state Prison Department to support children with incarcerated parents. This initiative has led to the establishment of Nanhe Kadam creches in prisons across Pune, Mumbai, Nasik, and Nagpur for children of both incarcerated mothers and prison guards up to six years of age. Creche programming offers a range of structured interventions, including integrated art, play, and learning sessions, developmental assessments, and tailored curriculum. The Parent Pod initiative further supports incarcerated mothers and their children by providing emotional, social, and mental health support. Additionally, the initiative incorporates prison guard support networks to ensure a cohesive and supportive environment. Maharashtra’s adoption of this model has been so successful that it has led to legislation mandating creches in all state prisons.
Contact: Dr. Smita Dharmamer smita@aanganindia.org
Website: https://www.aanganindia.org/
Center for Studies on Justice and Society of the Institute of Sociology at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile
The Center for Studies on Justice and Society of the Institute of Sociology (CJS) stands as a cornerstone of research and policy excellence in Latin America, affiliated with the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile. With an unwavering commitment to social justice, the CJS team has dedicated over a decade to pioneering groundbreaking research on the areas of social inclusion, security and justice, within Chile and other countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. Their focus centers on investigating and working on policy regarding the justice system, the penitentiary system, excluded populations, and other areas. One of the topics they have developed focuses on the consequences of deprivation of liberty for women and their children, analyzing the impacts of the current justice and penitentiary system, studying the processes of social insertion and desistance, and advocating for alternative policies to deprivation of liberty.
Contact: Catalina Ignacia Rufs Orellana cirufs@uc.cl
Website: https://justiciaysociedad.uc.cl/
Children of Imprisoned Parents International
Children of Imprisoned Parents International (COIPI) advocates and provides services for children with incarcerated parents and envisions the optimal development of children with incarcerated parents to create a future free from psychosocial, economic, and behavioral adversities. Founded in 2014 by Hamed Farmand, COIPI is dedicated to comprehending the adverse effects of parental absence on children, mitigating these effects, and facilitating their adjustment. COIPI’s primary goals are to document violations, share best practices, and promote awareness and public education about the circumstances of mother-child dyads. The organization has conducted extensive research on the circumstances of mothers and their children inside Iranian prisons, producing comprehensive reports in both English and Farsi.
Contact: Hamed Farmand Farmand@coipi.org
Website: https://coipi.org/
Clean Start Africa
Clean Start Africa empowers women, girls, and children affected by Kenya’s criminal justice system, fostering dignity and hope to facilitate successful reintegration. Their initiatives include Circles of Healing—peer-led spaces within community counties that offer social and trauma support for currently and formerly incarcerated women. Their reentry department focuses on economic and livelihood support, offering capacity building programs and the Halfway Program to enhance economic resilience and provide a supportive environment for women transitioning from incarceration. Clean Start Africa is also committed to providing support for children accompanying their mothers to prison by training staff in responsive caregiving, offering parenting programs and establishing comprehensive childcare frameworks. They advocate for policy reforms to improve aftercare services for children leaving prison, ensuring holistic support throughout the reintegration process.
Contact: Teresa Njoroge support@cleanstartafrica.org
Website: https://cleanstartafrica.org/
Eric Chui
Professor Eric Chui is appointed as Head and Chair Professor of Social Work and Criminology in the Department of Applied Social Sciences. Since May 2022, he has been appointed as the Co-Director of the Policy Research Centre for Innovation and Technology at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Prior to these, he was the Dean of Students at City University of Hong Kong and Associate Dean (Undergraduate Education) of the Faculty of Social Sciences of the University of Hong Kong.
On community and public service, he has served as a member or advisor on various boards and committees in Hong Kong. He is a member of the Release under Supervision Board, Security Bureau, HKSAR, and a committee member of SidebySide (formerly The Society of Rehabilitation and Crime Prevention), the Society for the Aid and Rehabilitation of Drug Abusers, End Child Sexual Abuse Foundation, Youth Outreach Hong Kong, and Sheng Kung Hui St. Christopher’s Home Limited Hong Kong.
Contact: wing-hong.chui@polyu.edu.hk
Website: https://research.polyu.edu.hk/en/persons/wing-hong-chui
Faraja Foundation
Faraja Foundation, a non-profit in Nairobi, Kenya, adopts a human rights-based approach to empower and support currently and formerly incarcerated individuals. Their advocacy includes specialized support for children who live with their mothers in Kenyan prisons and those left behind. In 2013, the Faraja Foundation pioneered the establishment of Kenya’s first prison nursery at Lang’ata Women’s Maximum-Security Prison and since then, has built five additional nursery facilities nationwide. They have influenced institutional policies, partnering with stakeholders to develop and implement Kenya’s Policy on Care of Children of Incarcerated Mothers; the development of a police guideline framework in partnership with Directorate of Children’s Services and a caregivers training manual for caregivers working with these children. Beyond their focus on children living in prison with their mothers, the Faraja Foundation implements diverse programs aimed at the rehabilitation and reintegration of individuals, particularly women, youth, and children, impacted by the criminal justice system.
Contact: info@farajafoundation.or.ke
Website: https://www.farajafoundation.or.ke/
India Vision Foundation
India Vision Foundation (IVF), headquartered in New Delhi, is dedicated to creating a crime-free society through reformation programs for incarcerated individuals and support for their children, aiming to prevent them from the cycles of intergenerational incarceration. Their child-centric initiatives date back to 1994, with the establishment of the first creche in Tihar Prison, Asia’s largest correctional facility. IVF now operates across 40 prisons in eight states and has impacted over one million beneficiaries. One of its flagship initiatives, the Early Childhood Care & Development (ECCD) Program, provides holistic support to children under six years of age living in prison with their mothers through day-care, education, nutritious meals, healthcare, and play-based development activities, ensuring their well-being and fostering a positive environment within prison settings.
Contact: Monica Dhawan monica.dhawan@indiavisionfoundation.org.in
Website: https://indiavisionfoundation.org/
International Coalition for Children with Incarcerated Parents
The International Coalition for Children with Incarcerated Parents (INCCIP) envisions a world where prioritizing the well-being of children affected by parental incarceration is a foundational principle globally and across all societal levels. INCCIP’s mission is to unite, collaborate with, and support a diverse range of like-minded organizations and individuals dedicated to advancing the well-being of these children, whether they reside in the community or alongside their caregivers in prison. Grounded in rights-based and trauma-informed principles, INCCIP’s work closely aligns with the recommendations of the UN Global Study on Children Deprived of Liberty, advocating for the prevention of detention whenever possible.
In addition to the GPNN, INCCIP partners with the Canadian Coalition for Children with Incarcerated Parents (CCCIP), Children of Prisoners Europe (COPE), and Plataforma Regional por la Defensa de los Derechos de Niñas, Niños y Adolescentes con Referentes Adultos Privados de Libertad (Platforma NNAPEs). INCCIP is also a member of Child Rights Connect (CRC) and co-chairs CRC’s Working Group on Children with Incarcerated Parents. Through these collaborations, INCCIP advocates for comprehensive support systems, drives policy reform, and promotes societal awareness to safeguard the rights and well-being of children affected by parental incarceration globally.
Nancy Loucks, Chairperson of INCCIP, also serves as the Chief Executive of Families Outside, Scotland’s sole national charity dedicated to supporting children and families impacted by incarceration.
Contact: info@inccip.org
Website: https://inccip.org/
Marie Claire Van Hout
Professor Marie Claire Van Hout is a professor of International Health Policy and the Vice President for Research, Innovation, and Impact at the South East Technological University in Ireland. She has been research active for over 20 years in the field of law, health inequalities, and human rights of marginalized populations (people in prison, people who use drugs, women affected by gender-based violence, migrants, and refugees). Professor Van Hout consults regularly as an independent evaluation consultant or substantive expert for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the Council of Europe Pompidou Group, and the World Health Organization in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
Contact: mcvanhout@wit.ie
Website https://research.setu.ie/en/persons/marie-claire-van-hout
Mother of Millions Foundation
Mother of Millions Foundation (MoMF) is a Zambia-based NGO committed to impacting the lives of marginalized populations by promoting equitable access to basic life necessities and opportunities. MoMF’s Prison Care Programme supports the rights of circumstantial children—those living in prison with their mothers—by providing early childhood education, nutritional support, healthcare, and vocational skills training for incarcerated mothers. Beyond its work in prisons, MoMF implements a wide range of programs to support vulnerable populations across the country. These include holistic care for orphans, reintegration support for formerly incarcerated women, transitional care for individuals discharged from hospitals, and community service and development initiatives aimed at strengthening local communities.
Contact: Faith Masupa faithmasupa@gmail.com
Website: https://www.motherofmillionsfoundation.org/
PrisonKids Kenya
PrisonKids Kenya is dedicated to creating safe, supportive environments and fostering physical, emotional, and cognitive development for children living in prisons with their mothers in Kenya. They have established a daycare facility at Nakuru Women’s Prison in addition to providing essential supplies for all those incarcerated in Nakuru, Kericho and Kitale Women’s prisons. In collaboration with the women’s ministry at Seventh Day Adventist Church, Egerton, PrisonKids conducts play and learn sessions at Nakuru and Kitalle Women prisons. These sessions provide socialization opportunities for children living in prison and age-appropriate care and upbringing. Working closely with social workers, PrisonKids facilitates ongoing communication and visits with children’s families of origin, ensuring continuity and preparing children for life after prison.
Contact: Rose Morara morararose3@gmail.com or info@prisonkids.org
Website: https://prisonkids.org/
Reinserta
Reinserta is a nonprofit organization based in Mexico dedicated to supporting children and youth exposed to violence. Through comprehensive models of psychosocial care, Reinserta focuses on protecting children, promoting their well-being, and supporting their mental health. The organization concentrates its efforts on several critical areas: supporting children living in prison with their caregivers, providing care to children who have survived severe violence, and aiding in the reintegration of juveniles involved in the criminal legal system. To ensure the safety, protection, and support for children living inside prisons with their mothers and those with incarcerated parents, Reinserta has instituted pregnancy care for incarcerated mothers, positive parenting methodologies, and the creation of violence-free spaces for children, including nurseries and visitation spaces. In over ten years of operation, Reinserta has made a substantial impact on the lives of over 2,000 children and adolescents affected by the juvenile justice system and parental incarceration.
Website: https://reinserta.org/
Terre des Hommes
Terre des Hommes (Tdh) Switzerland started its operations in Burundi in 1986 and is
committed to advancing children’s rights, focusing on maternal and child health and juvenile justice. In response to the inadequate conditions facing children living with their mothers in Burundi prisons, Tdh has established five nurseries across the 11 prisons nationwide. Their Early Childhood Development model within these nurseries prioritizes culturally and age-appropriate activities for children and psychosocial support for mothers. Additionally, Tdh engages with outside family members and the community to facilitate the successful reintegration of children as they transition from the nursery. Furthermore, Tdh collaborates with legal professionals to improve access to justice and advocate for alternative measures to incarceration.
Contact: Ryaz Ismail ryaz.ismail@tdh.org
Website: https://www.tdh.org/en
This Life Cambodia
This Life is a community-driven organisation based in Cambodia that works alongside children, women, families and communities to improve the lives of children and young people. One of its core initiatives focuses on supporting children living in prison with their incarcerated mothers through its Child Friendly Spaces program. Developed in partnership with communities and prison authorities, this initiative creates safe, nurturing environments within prisons that enable children to grow, play, and develop while maintaining a close bond with their mothers.
This Life also works to prevent unnecessary child-family separation and provides reintegration support for women and children transitioning out of the prison system. The organisation’s work is rooted in local consultation and evidence-based approaches, with a strong commitment to child rights, family preservation, and long-term social change.
Contact: Se Chhin se@thislife.ngo
Website: www.thislife.ngo
Ulla-Britt Klankwarth
Ulla-Britt Klankwarth is a Master’s student in ‘Criminology and Violence Research’ at the University of Regensburg Germany, holds a Bachelor in ‘Social Work’ and is also a trained Early Childhood Teacher. She currently works as a research assistant at the ‘Institute for Addiction Research Frankfurt am Main’ (ISFF), is interning with the HIV/AIDS Section of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Vienna, and is a member of the Expert Committee on Women in Prison of the German ‘Federal Association for the Rehabilitation and Reintegration of Offenders’ (BAG-S). In recent years, she has co-authored publications in several high-impact academic journals, working closely with colleagues on issues related to prison and health. Her primary research interests include women in prison, mothers with children in prison, prison health, and human rights in closed settings.
Contact: ulla-britt.klankwarth@fb4.fra-uas.de
Website: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ulla-britt-klankwarth-54597b2b8/