Maternal incarceration, child protection, and infant mortality: a descriptive study of infant children of women prisoners in Western Australia

Abstract

BackgroundThere are no population statistics collected on a routine basis on the children of prisoners in Australia. Accordingly, their potential vulnerability to adverse outcomes remains unclear. This study draws on linked administrative data to describe the exposure of children aged less than 2 years to maternal imprisonment in Western Australia, their contact with child protection services, and infant mortality rates.ResultsIn Western Australia, 36.5 per 1000 Indigenous (n = 804) and 1.3 per 1000 non-Indigenous (n = 395) children born between 2001 and 2011 had mothers imprisoned after birth to age 2 years. One-third of infants’ mothers had multiple imprisonments (maximum of 11). Nearly half (46%) of prison stays were for ≤2 weeks, 12% were between 2 and 4 weeks, 14% were for 1–3 months, and 28% were longer than three months. Additionally, 17.4 per 1000 Indigenous (n = 383) and 0.5 per 1000 non-Indigenous (n = 150) children had mothers imprisoned during pregnancy. Half of the children with a history of maternal incarceration in pregnancy to age 2 years came into contact with child protection services by their second birthday, with 31% of Indigenous and 35% of non-Indigenous children entering out-of-home care. Rates of placement in care were significantly higher for Indigenous children (Relative Risk (RR) 27.30; 95%CI 19.19 to 38.84; p < .001) and for non-Indigenous children (RR 110.10; 95%CI 61.70 to 196.49; p < .001) with a history of maternal imprisonment compared to children of mothers with no corrections record. Infant mortality for children whose mothers were imprisoned up to 5 years before birth or within their first year after birth was higher than for children of mothers with no corrections record for both Indigenous (RR 2.36; 95%CI 1.41 to 3.95; p = .001) and non-Indigenous children (RR 2.28; 95%CI 0.75 to 6.97; p = .147).ConclusionsThis study highlights the particular vulnerability of children whose mothers have been incarcerated and the importance of considering their needs within corrective services policies and procedures. Prison may present an opportunity to identify and work with vulnerable families to help improve outcomes for children as well as mothers.

Holistic Conceptualizations of Health by Incarcerated Aboriginal Women in New South Wales, Australia

“…More than 80% of Aboriginal women in prison are mothers and many Aboriginal women also have primary caring responsibilities for children in their extended family (Bartels, 2012; Lawrie, 2003; Yeo, 2003). The incarceration of Aboriginal women causes IGT and disadvantage, including a current over-representation of Aboriginal children in out-of-home care (McMillen Dowell, Mejia, Preen, & Segal, 2018). The latter directly relates to the incarceration of Aboriginal mothers whose offending behavior itself is a response to personal, intergenerational, and cultural trauma (McCausland & Baldry, 2013; Segrave & Carlton, 2010).…”

Low birth weight and maternal incarceration in pregnancy: A longitudinal linked data study of Western Australian infants

“…It has been shown that longer prison stays in pregnancy have been associated with higher birth weight ( Martin et al, 1997b , Howard et al, 2011 ). In our study of young Western Australian children whose mothers were imprisoned after birth and before their second birthday, we found nearly half of prison stays were for less than a fortnight and only one-fifth were for periods of six-months or more ( Dowell, Mejia, Preen, & Segal, 2018 ). In Western Australia, prisoners sentenced for periods less than six-months, in general, are not provided with a management plan or access to treatment programs ( Ferguson, 2015 ).…”

Recidivism, health and social functioning following release to the community of NSW prisoners with problematic drug use: study protocol of the population-based retrospective cohort study on the evaluation of the Connections Program

“…In addition, given that about half of the women in prison are mothers,15 transition back to community for mothers with new infants may be different. This is a neglected but critically important area of public health research to prevent adverse health and social outcomes of maternal incarceration41 and intergenerational contact with the criminal justice system 42…”