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In the current prison setting, with the struggle to counter desocialisation, various associations offer psychological and social support to inmates’ families. The present action-research initiative entitled “How children see imprisonment” ( Regards d’enfants sur l’incarcération) was conducted by the ciaphs laboratory of the University of Rennes 2 in collaboration with two of these associations and aimed to set up support groups for children who have a parent or relative in prison. The idea was to assess the conditions, means and mechanisms whereby these children may be availed of an opportunity to share their experiences and say what cannot be said to parents and relatives or more widely within their social environment (friends, school, neighbours, etc.). The results show a clear need to strengthen professional practices around families, and above all the children concerned, who turn out to be those who miss out most from what our French social services have to offer.