New policy for children of jailed mothers

The Kenya Prisons Service has launched a childcare policy for children of incarcerated mothers. The Nation reports that the first of its kind on the African continent, the policy aims to offer guidance to the Kenya Prisons Service management and other stakeholders to provide quality care for children of incarcerated mothers aged below four years. It will provide a framework to strengthen efficient care of children accompanying their incarcerated mothers. The policy, which was launched by Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr Fred Matiang'i at the Prisons Staff Training College in Ruiru, lays emphasis on the children’s early childhood education. The policy development was sponsored by Africa Early Childhood Network (AfECN). ‘The launch of the policy follows a recent study by AfECN that showed Kenyan prisons face myriad challenges including lack of a policy to guide the provision of a nurturing environment for children, besides insufficient funds to provide clothing, medication, food, and bedding. The AfECN report on status of childcare services in women’s prison in Kenya released last year, also indicates that the children’s mental health and wellbeing was at risk as they are exposed to a unique environment, confined with their mothers even though they are not convicts.