When a parent is incarcerated.

Information reviewed September 2026. Employment, benefit and program rules can change, so use the linked official source for current requirements.

Parental incarceration can create both practical and emotional changes

A child may move in with grandparents or relatives because a parent is remanded, sentenced or otherwise unable to provide day-to-day care. The child may feel shame, anger, relief, fear, loyalty or confusion, sometimes all at once.

Give the child truthful, age-appropriate information

Children usually benefit from simple explanations that avoid both unnecessary detail and misleading stories. You do not need to describe the alleged or proven offence in detail to a young child, but pretending the parent is simply “away at work” can create more confusion later.

Incarceration does not automatically decide custody or guardianship

A parent being in jail or prison does not, by itself, answer who has legal authority over the child. The caregiver may still need a custody, guardianship, child-protection or other legal arrangement to make school, health and travel decisions.

Contact with an incarcerated parent depends on the institution and the child's circumstances

Contact may be possible through visits, phone calls, letters or video. Whether contact is appropriate should take account of the child's safety, legal orders, child-protection requirements and emotional needs.

Federal institutions, Correctional Service Canada

For a parent serving a federal sentence, Correctional Service Canada provides several ways to maintain approved family contact, including in-person visits, video visitation and, for eligible inmates and families, private family visits.

Visitors must be approved. For a minor child participating in video visitation, an approved accompanying adult must be present. CSC's visiting process also requires a Child Safety Waiver when an adult is bringing a child to visit.

• Correctional Service Canada: Visiting and Communicating With an Inmate
• Correctional Service Canada: Visiting an Inmate
• Correctional Service Canada: Visiting Process

Provincial custody in PEI

PEI operates provincial custody programs for adult and youth offenders. Rules differ from federal institutions, and current visiting approval should be confirmed directly with the facility before making promises to a child.

PEI Provincial Custody Programs

Before taking a child to a correctional institution

• Confirm that the child is approved to visit.
• Understand screening, search and identification requirements.
• Explain what the child will see, including security procedures.
• Do not promise physical contact, privacy or a particular visit length.
• Have a plan for what you will do if the visit is cancelled.
• Give the child permission to say they do not want to visit.

Visits can bring strong reactions afterward

A child may be relieved to see the parent and still become upset, angry or withdrawn afterward. A difficult reaction does not automatically mean contact should end, but patterns should be taken seriously and discussed with the professionals responsible for the child's plan.

Protect the child from adult legal details

The caregiver can acknowledge that the parent is dealing with a legal consequence without turning the child into a confidant about charges, evidence, court strategy or family arguments. Let the child's questions guide how much explanation is needed.

When release is approaching

Release can create hope and uncertainty. A parent's release from custody does not automatically mean the child should return to the parent's care. Follow the existing custody, guardianship, GACP, court or child-protection arrangement until it is formally changed.