"How do I help this kid adjust to what real life is for them?": Youth service providers experiences on supporting children with incarcerated parents

Introduction: Over five million youth, or one in every 14 children, in the United States have lived with a parent incarcerated at some time point in their childhood. Research has found strong associations between the exposure of parental incarceration (PI) and a host of negative social, economic, and health outcomes in youth. Multi-level community and family supports for those exposed to PI are encouraged, yet research is limited on the experiences of the youth service providers that would be tasked to help support these youths. Objective: The goal of this study was to provide a detailed account and description of the experiences of youth service providers (including teachers, behavioral health specialists, counselors, and youth mentoring personnel) who have worked with children currently or previously exposed to PI. Qualitative data were gathered from 30 providers using semi-structured, in-depth phone interviews. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Results: Provider experiences working with children exposed to PI were delineated by phase of incarceration of the parent: upon arrest, during incarceration, and upon re-entry into the community. Three primary themes were identified for the child for each phase of incarceration: justice contact needs 2) social and economic needs and 3) communication needs. Conclusion: Our results underscore the imperative need for timely and sensitive screening for youth exposure to PI, resource guides on how to communicate and navigate the justice system, and a coordinated hub of social services to support economic and housing stability for the child and/or family. Trauma-informed and trust-building approaches were also important strategies providers used when supporting youths exposed to PI.