Kenya Prisons Services (KPS) in conjunction with Africa Early Childhood Network (AfECN) held a two day workshop to discuss on the status of childcare services in female prisons.
The workshop was presided over by the Ministry of Interior Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) Winnie Guchu at the Kenya Institute for Curriculum Development on the 5th and 6th of July 2021.
According to research by the National Council for Children’s Services, 7.4% of the 51,000 inmates in the country are women and 61% of the women have young children.
In accordance with Section 30(4) of the Prisons Act cap 90, Laws of Kenya, KPS allows children below four years to live with their mothers in prison.
Due to the harsh conditions in the prisons which might affect the children’s way of life, there is always a need to make a conducive environment for the children.
Some of the services provided in prisons to ensure that these children receive good treatment are provision of good health through having health clinics.
Additionally, expectant mothers are exempted from work and once they give birth, they are allowed to practice exclusive breastfeeding for six months. Furthermore, the mothers are allowed to stay with their children and interact with them fully until they are one year old.
There are also opportunities for learning with some of the institutions having fully functional daycare centers and nursery schools for children between the age of 2.5-3 years and above. Once the children attain the age of four, the prison authorities prepare the mothers for separations and the children are handed over to relatives or daycare centers outside the prisons.
The workshop therefore focused on improving more on the services so that the children can feel additionally safe. The government has further provided a budget for each child accompanying its mother to prison.