This toolkit was created by Dr. Pajarita Charles of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Sandra Rosenbaum School of Social Work to support the implementation of Parenting Inside Out.

Explore the Implementation Toolkit

The purpose of this toolkit is to share resources for implementing and operating PIO in correctional settings based upon lessons learned from piloting the program at four Wisconsin DOC institutions. The toolkit is geared toward a variety of audiences including prison staff, correctional administrators, as well as researchers, policy makers, and other stakeholders with interest in approaches that mitigate the negative consequences of incarceration on parents and children. The toolkit focuses on practical applications and strategies to help staff implement PIO, taking into account various staffing limitations, resource constraints, and other logistical issues. While some parts of the toolkit are specific to the WI DOC, much of this resource will be applicable to other prisons, as well as to jails and other correctional settings.

This toolkit provides specific guidance on navigating issues such as:

• Staffing capacity and balancing different roles within the prison
• Resource limitations and space constraints
• Lesson planning and curriculum implementation
• Parent recruitment and participation
• Security needs
• Ongoing program evaluation