Take Action

Get involved and support children of incarcerated parents today! See below for action items to see and support children of incarcerated parents every day

2. Support Legislation

Protect In-Person Visiting
in New York

New York State bill S5037/A4603 would require prisons and jails to provide evening and/or weekend visiting hours, and ensure in-person visiting is not replaced with video conferencing. Learn more.

VICTORY! The New York Proximity law was implemented in Dec 2021

Incarcerated parents can now apply to be placed in a prison close to their minor children that meets their security and programming needs. Let incarcerated parents know about this new law so they can ask their ORC (counselor) how to apply for a transfer. To learn more, contact nyinitiative@osborneny.org

NYS CARE Act

NY State CARE Act (S4583/A4879) puts babies first by ensuring correctional facilities in New York State provide prenatal care for incarcerated pregnant women and postpartum support for mother-baby bonding. Learn more.

VICTORY!
The NY Child Sensitive Arrest Bill
was signed into law on December 23, 2024

Effective, July 1, 2025 this law will require the New York State Police to implement policies to safeguard children and require all Police Departments to collaborate with the parent who is arrested to ensure their child is cared for.

Federal FAMILIES Act

Federal judges would be able consider diverting parents and caregivers to alternatives to incarceration. Learn more.

1. See and support children of incarcerated parents

Use humanizing language when speaking about people impacted by incarceration.

Learn More

Visit the Educator Resources toolkit

Educator Resources

Include children's books about parental incarceration in waiting areas, libraries, and schools.

Download Recommended Books

Visit the SUSU Family Resource page to learn about preparing to visit, creating affirming spaces, promising practices, and more.

Family Resources

3. Get Involved

Sign Up for the
See Us, Support Us Network
Newsletter

Follow SUSU on Social Media

See Social Media Platforms Here

Enter the SUSU art contest for children/young adults who experienced parental incarceration

Learn More About the Art Contest

4. Polices and Practices

SUSU 2021 Youth Listening Session for Educators

Youth share recommendations for supporting them in educational settings and beyond.

Read here

Creating Affirming Spaces

These guiding tips will help you create a safer space where children and families feel comfortable expressing their emotions without feeling judged, blamed, or labeled.

Download here

New York State Kinship Navigator

Information, referral, and advocacy program for kinship caregivers.

Recommendations for how to improve the lives and outcomes of New York’s children who have justice-involved parents.

Download here

Child WelfareYou Don't Have to Stop Being A Parent While Incarcerated

Learn about the rights of incarcerated parents in New York State who have an open child welfare case.

Read here

Protective and Promotive Factors to Support Youth Well-Being

An interactive guide on strengthening protective factors that increase the likelihood that youth develop into healthy, thriving adults.

Download here

SUSU 2019 Youth Listening Session Summary

Summary of the See Us, Support Us Youth Listening Session convened in NYC during SUSU 2019. We heard from 8 brave young people about their experiences and recommendations for addressing the unique needs of children whose parents are in the criminal justice system.

Read here

NY Children of Incarcerated Parents Resources Fact Sheet

List of New York resources supporting children of incarcerated parents.

Download here

NY State Council on Children and Families

Statewide Coordinating Council on Children with Incarcerated Parents.

Learn more here

Seven Out of Ten?
Not Even Close

A review of research that shows that most children of incarcerated parents can thrive when given the right supports.

Read here

Youth.gov

Federal website of national resources.

Learn more here

Children of Incarcerated Parents Bill of Rights

Developed by the San Francisco Partnership for Children of Incarcerated Parents as a roadmap to safeguard children whose parents are involved in the criminal justice system.

Download here

Safeguarding Children of Arrested Parents Model Policy

A report and implementation toolkit on a model policy from the International Association of the Chiefs of Police, in conjunction with the Bureau of Justice Assistance.

Read here

Be Sure Your Child is Cared for And Safe, NY Courts

Options that help parents plan for their children’s care while incarcerated.

Learn more here

Child Welfare Identifying and Supporting Children of Incarcerated Parents in Child Welfare

This report offers recommendations to guide the field in better attending to the needs children of incarcerated parents in the child welfare system.

Read here

Words Matter Guide

Join our #WordsMatter campaign to use humanizing language to refer to PEOPLE and PARENTS who are incarcerated or have come home, and replace "visitation" with "visits" or "visiting"

Learn more here

5. Words Matter

SUSU Words Matter Guide

Read Here

FWD.US People First
Language Guide

Download Here

Center for NuLeadership's Language Letter

Download Here

Arizona State University
Words Matter Guide

Read Here

Take Action

Get involved and support children of incarcerated parents today! See below for action items to see and support children of incarcerated parents every day

2. Support Legislation

Protect In-Person Visiting in New York

VICTORY! The New York Proximity law was implemented in Dec 2021

NYS CARE Act

VICTORY! The NY Child Sensitive Arrest Bill was signed into law on December 23, 2024

Federal FAMILIES Act

1. See and support children of incarcerated parents

Use humanizing language when speaking about people impacted by incarceration.

Visit the Educator Resources toolkit

Include children's books about parental incarceration in waiting areas, libraries, and schools.

Visit the SUSU Family Resource page to learn about preparing to visit, creating affirming spaces, promising practices, and more.

3. Get Involved

Sign Up for the See Us, Support Us Network Newsletter

Follow SUSU on Social Media

Enter the SUSU art contest for children/young adults who experienced parental incarceration

4. Polices and Practices

SUSU 2021 Youth Listening Session for Educators

Youth share recommendations for supporting them in educational settings and beyond.

Creating Affirming Spaces

These guiding tips will help you create a safer space where children and families feel comfortable expressing their emotions without feeling judged, blamed, or labeled.

New York State Kinship Navigator

Information, referral, and advocacy program for kinship caregivers.

A Call to Action: Safeguarding New York’s Children of Incarcerated Parents

Recommendations for how to improve the lives and outcomes of New York’s children who have justice-involved parents.

Child WelfareYou Don't Have to Stop Being A Parent While Incarcerated

Learn about the rights of incarcerated parents in New York State who have an open child welfare case.

Protective and Promotive Factors to Support Youth Well-Being

An interactive guide on strengthening protective factors that increase the likelihood that youth develop into healthy, thriving adults.

SUSU 2019 Youth Listening Session Summary

Summary of the See Us, Support Us Youth Listening Session convened in NYC during SUSU 2019. We heard from 8 brave young people about their experiences and recommendations for addressing the unique needs of children whose parents are in the criminal justice system.

NY Children of Incarcerated Parents Resources Fact Sheet

List of New York resources supporting children of incarcerated parents.

NY State Council on Children and Families

Statewide Coordinating Council on Children with Incarcerated Parents.

Seven Out of Ten? Not Even Close

A review of research that shows that most children of incarcerated parents can thrive when given the right supports.

Youth.gov

Federal website of national resources.

Children of Incarcerated Parents Bill of Rights

Developed by the San Francisco Partnership for Children of Incarcerated Parents as a roadmap to safeguard children whose parents are involved in the criminal justice system.

Safeguarding Children of Arrested Parents Model Policy

A report and implementation toolkit on a model policy from the International Association of the Chiefs of Police, in conjunction with the Bureau of Justice Assistance.

Be Sure Your Child is Cared for And Safe, NY Courts

Options that help parents plan for their children’s care while incarcerated.

Child Welfare Identifying and Supporting Children of Incarcerated Parents in Child Welfare

This report offers recommendations to guide the field in better attending to the needs children of incarcerated parents in the child welfare system.

Words Matter Guide

Join our #WordsMatter campaign to use humanizing language to refer to PEOPLE and PARENTS who are incarcerated or have come home, and replace "visitation" with "visits" or "visiting"

5. Words Matter

SUSU Words Matter Guide

FWD.US People First Language Guide

Center for NuLeadership's Language Letter

Arizona State University Words Matter Guide

Protect In-Person Visiting
in New York

VICTORY!
The NY Child Sensitive Arrest Bill
was signed into law on December 23, 2024

Sign Up for the
See Us, Support Us Network
Newsletter

Seven Out of Ten?
Not Even Close

FWD.US People First
Language Guide

Arizona State University
Words Matter Guide