Mothering, disability and care: beyond the prison wall

Research with prisoner’s families, especially those who have a ‘disabled’ son or daughter as a result of learning difficulties or disabilities, an autistic spectrum condition or mental health problems, has in the past been side-lined. As evidenced in this chapter, mothering a ‘child’ who is incarcerated is undeniably challenging. It could be that the events leading up to imprisonment occurred because of an unexpected violent act, a ‘one off’ serious crime, or a lifetime (to that point) of aggression, drug use or anti-social behaviour. Whatever the reasons for a custodial sentence, caring for and about a son or daughter, before offending and then during imprisonment is painful – emotionally and practically. Life stories reveal mothers experience emotional and physical harm and systemic abuse, as well as display unconditional love and care work. Mothers of offenders have experienced a life that is unimaginably demanding and conveys accounts of failure. Not their failure, but that of the systems (and sometimes people) around them. Through the lens of a care ethics model of disability, I identify care-less and carefull spaces to explore how participants recall physical and emotional violent abuse, resulting in the collapse of their mental well-being as well as their resilience to these events.