ABSTRACT
Children are affected by the choices, situations, actions, and inactions of their parents. Most often children are powerless over divorce, adult substance use, parents who refuse to get help, adult financial situations, and the list goes on. However, parental incarceration is probably one of the most complex and devastating situations for children due to the loss, grief, and trauma of experiencing a parent who is absent because of being in jail or prison. It is considered one of the adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), or experiences defined as stressful or traumatic such as abuse or neglect in a child’s life. This chapter provides tools and strategies for assisting a student who has a parent who breaks the law and subsequently is incarcerated. Suggestions on appropriate theories and counseling techniques are discussed, as well as the professional experiences of the author of the chapter. Additionally, ethical and multicultural considerations provide insights in how to assist students in similar situations.
