“Valt de appel inderdaad niet ver van de boom?” Is er sprake van stigmatisering door leerkrachten over de competenties van kinderen met een gedetineerde moeder?

Abstract

The absence of a mother due to imprisonment has a major influence on the functioning of her children. Mother incarceration is often associated with children’s problem behaviour. Teachers may think that the detention of mother has such an impact on the children, that they will be less competent. The goal of the current research is to examine the relationship between incarcerated mothers and the expected competence of the child, according to the teacher. Firstly, this study examines whether children with an imprisoned parent are contemplated as less competent than children whose mother is absent without a reason. Secondly, the research investigates whether daughters of incarcerated mothers are contemplated less competent than sons of incarcerated mothers. Finally, the study examines whether teachers believe that individual children have an increased risk of subsequent convictions. In this study 101 teachers of students in grades 1-8 and 36 PABO students participated. They have completed TEACHER questionnaire in which they reviewed competencies of a hypothetical child. Children with incarcerated mothers were estimated to be less competent than children without imprisoned mother. Daughters of incarcerated mothers were not rated as less competent than sons of incarcerated mothers. We also found that teachers do not believe that children with incarcerated mothers run an increased risk of incarceration in the future. The findings of this study suggest that there is no stigma if the child’s mother is incarcerated.