This brief examines the impact on children when their parent or primary caregiver is deprived of liberty—whether through incarceration, pre-trial detention or other forms of deprivation of liberty. It highlights how such children often become invisible in policy and practice despite being among the most vulnerable, and details how disrupted attachment, social stigma, economic hardship, and lack of tailored supports undermine their well-being and rights. It further outlines the international normative frameworks, identifies key gaps across arrest, sentencing, detention and release stages, and proposes systemic reforms including child-sensitive procedures, alternatives to detention for caregivers, and cross-sectoral collaboration to safeguard children’s best interests.
