Strengthening Family Connections

About This Project

Summary

ChiByDesign worked with Illinois Action for Children, formerly incarcerated parents, their children, community organizations, and other stakeholders to co-design interventions that strengthen the connections between children and parents experiencing incarceration. The co-designed interventions address the impact of emotional and physical distance, economic hardships created by parental incarceration, and trauma stemming from child welfare and justice system involvement.

Goals & Objectives

We aimed to identify policies, practices, and experiences that create disjointed connections for incarcerated parents, their children, and families; imagine futures that meet their distinct needs; and develop anti-racist infrastructures that bolster familial and community bonds.

Results & Impact

ChiByDesign is working with IAFC to continue this work and fund the design of one of the co-designed concepts, play-centered family support spaces, which the IDHS Commission on Children of Incarcerated Parents and the Chicago Children’s Museum have expressed interest in sponsoring.