VOL Connection: Clear and Accessible Support for Children of Incarcerated Parents
- Pavel X. Rakušan
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
As of 1 January 2026, we are implementing the VOL Connection project (1 January 2026 – 31 December 2027). We focus on children of incarcerated parents and their families, who often need quick orientation in their situation and follow-up support. The project’s aim is to make help clearer, more accessible, and better connected across services and institutions.
A key part of the project is also to pilot a new way of connecting a child with a parent serving a prison sentence, through a family coordinator. This approach is based on the principle that a child’s contact with their parent must be assessed sensitively and in the child’s best interests—in line with the principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
What the project will deliver
A validated support programme for children of incarcerated parents, including practical procedures.
Coordinated support for the family (the family coordinator role), helping to ensure continuity of support and safe communication among the involved parties.
A new model for connecting a child with a parent in prison, which will be tested in practice and assessed for usability.
A methodology and recommended procedures enabling transfer into the practice of other services and at the regional level.
Stronger coordination among stakeholders and a cooperation framework, so that support is not ad hoc but based on an agreed procedure.
How we will proceed
During implementation, we will develop multidisciplinary cooperation, organise working meetings and workshops, and continuously evaluate the steps we put in place. We emphasise practical solutions that can be used in the day-to-day practice of social services and related institutions.
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The VOL Connection project (Reg. No. CZ.03.02.02/00/24_077/0005451) is implemented under the Employment Plus Operational Programme, co-financed by the European Social Fund and the state budget of the Czech Republic. The project is co-financed by the European Union.
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