School counselor conceptualizations of the needs of children of incarcerated parents

•School counselors support the needs of children of incarcerated parents.•School counselors noted the observable impacts of parental incarceration.•School counselors conceptualized parental incarceration as a loss experience.•School counselors can help others recognize and respond to needs in schools. More than 5 million children in the United States will experience parental incarceration. These children may have academic, behavioral, or social difficulties in school. School counselors are positioned to support the mental health needs of children of incarcerated parents, but little was known about how school counselors understand their needs. This study used an instrumental case study design to consider how school counselors recognize and understand the needs of children of incarcerated parents in a single school district in a southeastern state. Participants described the observable impacts of parental incarceration at school. They conceptualized loss experiences for children of incarcerated parents, including losses of family connections, family stability, and social acceptance. Findings support ambiguous loss theory as a conceptual framework for the experiences of children of incarcerated parents. Recommendations for counselors, educational leaders, and future research are discussed.