Children of Prisoners Europe

Who we are and our mission 1. 1. Children of Prisoners Europe (COPE) is a pan-European network of organisations and individuals working with and for children with imprisoned parents. The network has a secretariat based in Paris. As of end 2022, members covered 29 Council of Europe member states and 25 EU Member States. Members and affiliate organisations are mostly grassroots NGOs or networks of NGOs offering supports to children with parents in prison and their families. Individual members and affiliates are experts who work or have worked in the field, including academics. 1. 2. COPE's mission is to prevent and respond to violations of the rights of children with imprisoned parents, from arrest through to reintegration after the end of a prison sentence, to ensure their individual needs are met, and their best interests are continuously assessed. We take a systems approach to improving the lives of children with imprisoned parents, namely ensure that the systems (welfare, social, justice, education, …) children come into contact with are able to respect their rights and meet their needs, rather than expecting children to adapt to inadequate systems and supports. What we stand for 1. 3. We recognise all children, without discrimination of any kind, as rights holders. COPE members work with children and their families to support fulfilment of their rights and needs. Parental imprisonment can be traumatic and children with imprisoned parents should have access to appropriate and tailored supports. The COPE Network as a whole works to address these issues, including with other sectors, e.g., the school system, the child protection system and the justice system. 1. 4. We take a child rights approach to our work, seeking to develop the capacity of duty-bearers to meeting their obligations to respect, protect and fulfil rights and striving to further develop the capacity of children to claim their rights. 1. 5. We promote broader societal understanding of the life exp