SHINE for Kids was created as the Children of Prisoners' Support Group (COPSG) following the release of The Children of Imprisoned Parents Report, commissioned by the Family and Children's Services Agency, in March 1982. In December 2004, we changed our name to SHINE for Kids. Read all about our history since our beginnings in 1982 »

SHINE for Kids provides advocacy and various other services for the children of imprisoned parents and their families. A core focus in providing this support is our belief in the power of early intervention to stem some of the negative effects of parental imprisonment. These negative effects can include:

• family poverty
• breakdown in family relationships
• children's inability to thrive in a social and educational setting
• discrimination faced by children and their families due to the imprisonment of a parent.

These effects of imprisonment on children and their families can lead to a cycle of disadvantage for children and can also potentially result in children coming into contact with the criminal justice system themselves. Our goal is to address these issues and combat this potential cycle.

SHINE for Kids receives ongoing funding from the Department of Corrective Services, the Department of Community Services and others.

SHINE for Kids' head office is located in the grounds of the Silverwater Correctional Complex in Sydney. We have a number of Child and Family Centres offering our services to both urban and regional areas in New South Wales. We also now have an office in Victoria as we extend our services to that State.