Over 100,000 children in England and Wales have parent in prison, analysis shows

Research shows that the children of prisoners are more likely to get involved in crime, suffer from mental health problems, homelessness and poverty later in life. Photograph: Mads Jensen/Alamy

More than 100,000 children have a parent in prison for the first time since records began, according to analysis of government figures.

The figures have been released as Estonia’s justice minister confirmed that his officials were in talks with the UK government over plans to accept UK prisoners amid an overcrowding crisis.