Child's Parent Faces Imprisonment, Leaving the Child in a Tough Situation

Children in Custody After Mother's Arrest, Remand of Child Follows

In the picturesque town of Frödenberg, North Rhine-Westphalia, lies a unique facility known as the Mother-Child Facility (MKE). Established in 1986, it was the second such facility to open in Germany, following Frankfurt. The MKE serves as a bridge to a crime-free life for some women, having admitted 446 women and 549 children since its inception in 1990.

Julia, a 29-year-old inmate, is one of the residents at the MKE. She has been incarcerated since May and lives with her four-year-old daughter. Every day at 7:00 AM, Julia takes her daughter outside the premises to a nearby kindergarten.

The MKE prioritizes children's rights and ensures the children have "something like normality." Children in Frödenberg are age-appropriately cared for, and mothers are given the opportunity for vocational training to stabilize and reintegrate. Julia works in the prison hospital cafeteria as a qualification measure.

The facility, located within a fenced garden with a playground, is the only one of its kind in NRW and occasionally accepts offenders from other federal states with their young children. Boys and girls, some still in diapers, play on the grounds with tricycles or scooters. The swing is popular among the children, and a toddler can often be seen collecting chestnuts with his mother.

Renate Tertel, the pedagogical director, emphasizes that a mother's criminality does not mean she is a bad mother. Inmates receive social support from pedagogues and social workers to help them navigate their unique circumstances.

However, not all stories have a happy ending. In 35 years, 81 women have had to leave the MKE and switch to closed prison. If the child's well-being is at risk, alternative accommodation for the child is necessary.

Despite the challenges, the inmates find it right that the children's interests are prioritized. Julia looks forward to her release and starting anew with her family, crime-free.

Currently, there are 106 prison places for incarcerated mothers with their children, distributed across MKEs in nine federal states. The MKE in Frödenberg is a testament to the belief that mothers and their children can be given a second chance, offering a home away from home for those on the path to rehabilitation.