Understandingyour

responsbilitiesIdentifyingrisk

andimpactIncrease

protectivefactors

Thereareestimatedtobe250,000&350,000childrenofproblematicdrugusersintheUK&between780,000&1.3millionchildrenofproblematicalcoholusers.

However,theproblem,accordingtotheresearchers,isthat"theseestimatesarebasedondrugusersintreatmentorderivefromproblemdrinkingestimatesinothercountries."

Astudy,foundnewfiguresindicatethatapproximately:

3.4millionchildrenintheUKlivewithatleastonebingedrinkingparent2.6millionlivewithahazardousdrinkerAround1millionlivewithaparentwhousesillicitdrugsAround335,000childrenwereestimatedtobelivingwithadrugdependentuser72,000childrenlivingwithaninjectingdruguser108,000childrenlivewithanadultwhohasoverdosed

Bothparentsbeingpolydrug/alcoholmisuser'sandmisusingsubstancestogetheratthesametime;Parentsusingillicitdrugsordrinkingalcoholinadditiontotheirprescribedmedication;Drug/alcoholmisusetakingplaceinthehomeandthehousebeingusedbyotherdrug/alcoholmisuser's;Thefamilynotengagingwithservices,apatternofnotattendingappointments;Parentbelievingthattheirdrug/alcoholmisusedoesn'taffecttheirchildren;Theabsenceofextendedfamilysupport;Childcarearrangementsbeingadhoc,childbeingcaredforbyothersubstancemisuser's;Thepresenceofthechild(thoughnotnecessarilyinthesameroom)whensubstancesarebeingused;Childrenwitnessingdruguseandthedangersassociatedwiththedrugusingparaphernalia;Domesticabuseand/ormentalhealthissuesinthehousehold(ToxicTriangle)

Researchshowsthattherearesomefactorsassociatedwithaparent's/carer'sdrug/alcoholmisusewhichhavethepotentialtoincreasetherisktochildrenlivinginthesehouseholds.(HiddenHarm,2003and2007).Themoreriskfactorsarepresentthehighertheriskofnegativeoutcomes.

Parents'recognisingthetrueextentoftheaffectoftheirdrugandalcoholmisuseontheirfamilylifeandwantingtomakeappropriatechanges;Parents/carersputtinginplacesafeguardsforthechild;Parents'engagedwithservicesandcomplyingwithdrug/alcoholtreatment;Theextendedfamilyarefullyawareofthedrug/alcoholproblemandoffersupporttothechildren;Forthechildtodevelopaclosepositivebondwithatleastoneadultinacaringrole(includingparents,

siblingsandgrandparents)whocanprovidethemwithconsistentattentionandsupportandensurethatfamilyactivitiesaremaintained;Thefamilytomaintaincontactwiththeuniversalservicesthatcanprovidesupport;Forthechildtobeengagedinawiderangeofactivities,withinwhichtheycanrecognisethattheyare

separatefromtheirparents'problemsandthereforedeveloptheirownsenseofselfandself-esteem.Thefamilyhavegoodsupportnetworksoutsideofthenuclearfamily;Thechildrenhaveregularattendanceatschool/nursery.

Atthesametimeasrecognisingthepotentialriskfactors,itisimportanttoidentifywhatprotectivefactorsarepresentinthehomeenvironmentandhowtobuildonthesestrengths. (AdultDrugProblems,Children'sNeeds.Assessingtheimpactofparentaldruguse.HartandPowell2006)Theseinclude:

ParentingCapacity Environmental

FactorsProvisionof

need

Substanceuseormisusebyparentsorcarersdoesnotautomaticallyindicatethatchildrenareatriskofabuseorneglect,althoughitisessentialthatworkersrecognisethatthisisahighriskgroup.Let'sbreakthisdownintothreecategories.

ParentalCapacity

•Whoisthesubstancemisuserandwhatistheirroleinthefamily?•Doesthesubstancemisuser(s)havecomplexneeds?•Aretheparents/carerscurrentlyintreatmentand/orreceivingsupportoffered?•Howdoessubstancemisuseimpactonthequalityofcareofthechildren?•Arethechildrenexpectedtoundertakeinappropriateroles/tasks?•Whatsubstancemisuseactivitiesarethechildrenexposedto?•Isthereanotherpersonwhoissubstancefreesupportingthechildren?•Istherearelevantoffendinghistory?•Isthereanyhistoryofdomesticabuse?•Aretheparents/carerswillingandabletoacceptanysupportoffered?

EnvironmentalFactors

.

•Dothefamilyfeelisolatedorstigmatisedwithintheircommunity?•Whatarethesocialnetworksthatextendbeyondthefamilyunit?•Whatisthefinancialimpactofsubstancemisuseonthefamily?•Whereisanyalcohol,drugs/drugparaphernaliastoredanddisposedof?•Whatisthehousingsituation?i.e.currentproperty,frequencyofmoves,homeconditions.

Provisionofneed

•Arethereunmetneeds?•Arethereunmetphysicalneeds?•Arethereunmetemotionalneeds?•Arethereunmeteducationalneeds?•Whodoesthechildspeaktoiftheyareupsetorworried?•Whatboundariesareinplaceforthechild?i.e.supervision,boundaries,safety.•SocialPresentation,e.g.hygiene,interactions•Arethereanyidentifiedresiliencefactors?

Emmaisamothertotwochildrenandeachofthemgotoalocalschool.Emmawasabusedasachild;hadbeenincareasayounggirl;marriedyoungandhadachildbutsubsequentlydivorcedandhadthefurtherthreechildrenwithotherpartners.Shehassufferedviolenceinvaryingdegreesfromherpartner,thefatherofthetwochildren.Shehastakenillegaldrugsinthepast,andovertimehasdevelopedanalcoholproblem.Shemovesaddressesfrequently(becauseofherhusband’sprofession).

EmmahasgoodrelationswithherfostermotherandfatherwhoisastableexternalpresenceinthelivesofEmmaandherchildren.Emmahasbeenverydifficulttoengagewithbuthasaccessedservicesonnumerousoccasionsinthepasteightyearsandhasbeenreportedtobeaggressivetoprofessionals.Emmaalsohasbeenself-harmingasacopingmechanism.Emmastatesthatthechildrencanlookafterthemselvesandarelookedafteranddowellatschool.

Canyouidentifyanyrisks?Protectivefactors?whatquestionsmightyouneedtoaskinthiscase?

Remember-initialhypothesismaybebeincomplete.Donotsticktoorigidlyforanassessmentmadetooquickly.Checkthefacts,recordthedetails,feedbacktherisksBeresponsive-bothtovisibleandpressingissues,butthesmallerdetailsandhistorytooGivesufficientweighttoinformationfromfamily,friendsandneighbors.Payattentiontowhatchildrensay,howtheylookandhowtheybehave.EngageasfullyaspossiblewithfathersandotherfamilycarersFocusingonagecategoriescanresultinolderchildrenbeingletdownbyprofessionalsEnsureyouexploretheissuesfullyinyoursupervisionandseeksupportfrommanagersandcolleagues.Don’tassumethatinformationsharedisinformationunderstood.Makesurethatrolesandresponsibilitiesareclearlyunderstoodinmulti-agencyworking.