Research shows that maintaining strong family bonds and sustaining communication during incarceration, through family literacy programs, and strong mentoring can yield reduced recidivism rates and improve reintegration with the community. CLICC uses this combination of activities to support incarcerated parents and their children, who may experience feelings of shame and stigma because of the incarceration.

CLICC is a one-year program. Each child and parent in the CLICC program meets with a separate mentor on a weekly basis for one year. The CLICC-trained parent mentors meet with parents in prison, either individually or in a group. CLICC-trained child mentors meet one-to-one with a child (age 5-17) at a site in the community that is convenient for the child, such as a local library or afterschool program. The parent and child read approximately one book — selected by the child — per month. With mentor support, they complete literacy exercises connecting the books to their lives through letters to each other. The books also can be discussed during phone calls and in-person visits.

The literacy exercises are based on a curriculum developed exclusively for CLICC by Columbia University Teachers College. These exercises offer engaging and meaningful topics for parent-child communication, and a means to monitor literacy progress and interest among parents and children.

Mentor/child pairs meet for one continuous year to establish trusting relationships, as best practice recommends. Mentors meet with parents for approximately six months pre-release. As the parents transition out of prison, these same mentors meet with them for another six months post-release to offer support and referrals to counseling and other community services for parents and their children as requested.Description text goes here

CLICC works in participating CT Department of Correction prisons with incarcerated parents who are within three years of their release date. Trained parent mentors meet weekly with CLICC parents, either individually or in groups, for 6 months. In these settings, mothers and fathers use the CLICC literacy and mentoring model to increase communication with their children, get help for questions and concerns that boost their confidence as parents, and work on short- and long-term planning for their lives, post-release. They discuss books they're reading with their children, and may even share letters and pictures from home.

In the 6 months following release, that same CLICC mentor meets individually with parents, offering continued support for positive communication with their children, and referrals to community resources for parents and children as requested. Most important, the mentor knows the parent and is committed to his or her successful transition back to the community.

Links to Resources:

• Parenting From Prison

• Quick Facts: Incarcerated Parents

• CT Reentry Roundtable Collaborative

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Children ages 5-17 who live in Connecticut and have a parent in a participating CT Department of Correction prison are eligible to enroll in the CLICC program with the caregiver's permission. To enroll, each child picks 6 books he or she would like to read from the catalogue of our book partner, Scholastic Corp. The incarcerated mom or dad receives the same 6 books. If the child finishes the first 6 books before the end of the CLICC program, more books can be ordered. Everything is free of charge.

A trained CLICC mentor meets one-on-one with the child once a week at a library, community center or afterschool program, to read the books, do fun literacy activities, write Mom or Dad about what is being read, or just hang out. Mentors are specifically trained by CLICC to help children navigate the stigma, shame and toxic stress that may develop from a parent’s incarceration. More important, the CLICC mentor is a supportive adult in the child's life. CLICC child mentors satisfy a background check by the CT Department of Children and Families.

Links to Resources

Caring for Children of Incarcerated Parents

Children and Families of the Incarcerated Fact Sheet

Children of Incarcerated Parents Fact SheetDescription text goes here

CLICC caregivers are key to the program's success. Once the incarcerated parent applies, the caregiver must give permission for the child to participate. Caregivers assist in creating the mentoring schedules, assuring their child’s attendance and transportation on a weekly basis, and on occasion will attend or even participate in the mentoring sessions.

Each caregiver has a different set off barriers due to the circumstances of parental incarceration and the family. CLICC staff members do their best to point out resources and offer support.

Links to Resources

Impact of Incarceration on Caregivers

Tips on How to Raise a Child with an Incarcerated Parent

Study: Caregivers of Children with incarcerated Parents

Video: Caring Through Struggle: Caregivers of Children with Incarcerated ParentsItem description