PARENTAL SUBSTANCE MISUSE

The Impact of Parental Substance Misuse on Children

Table of Contents

Introduction1

Effect of substance misuse on children2

Substance misuse in pregnancy2

Physical effects3

Consequences of parental substance misuse4

Behavioural Effects4

Social Effects7

Emotional/Mental Effects8

Critical best practice9

Service user perspective10

Substance user involvement11

Limitation of service user involvement13

Social service providers for parental substance misuse13

National Advisory Committee on Drugs13

Children 1st14

Aberlour Child Care Trust15

NSPCC16

Conclusion17

References18

The Impact of Parental Substance Misuse on Children

Introduction

It is beyond debatable that the use or misuse of substance has severe impact on the well being of children. The term substance refers to both the illicit and non illicit forms of drugs. The illicit drugs include opium, heroin, cocaine, benzodiazepines, and amphetamines. The non illicit drugs include alcohol and other solvents or prescribed drugs. It is important to distinguish parental substance use from parental substance misuse. The use of substance by a parent becomes misuse when the parent in question uses it to the level where the usage becomes hazardous for both the behaviour and health of the parent as well as the life of the children involved. The harmful behaviour in the parent hinders the parent's ability to take good care of their children which is the children's fundamental right (Forrester 2011, p. 4). There are four types of child abuse. These are physical, psychological, sexual and abandonment. In most cases the parental substance misuse leads to abandonment where the parent is unable to take care of the basic needs of children. In the worst cases, the behavioural harm of substance misuse of parents leads to physical abuse in children.

The parental substance misuse has physical, behavioural, social and emotional or mental consequences for the children. The paper discusses in detail the affects of parental substance misuse and highlights the social work that has been done so far in the light of critical best practise to address the issue of parental substance misuse in the UK.

Effect of substance misuse on children

'There is a reasonable basis in research to suggest that a child whose parent is misusing substances is at increased risk. Substance misuse can demand a significant proportion of a parent's time, money and energy, which will unavoidably reduce resources available to the child. Substance misuse may also put the child at an increased risk of neglect and emotional, physical or sexual abuse, either by the parent or because the child becomes more vulnerable to abuse by others.' (V Lewis 1997)

When considering the negative consequences of parental substance misuse, we should know that parent's misuse of substance can be on children before their and even after their coming into this world.

Substance misuse in pregnancy

Of the 90% of the female drug users who seek treatment are in the age of potential for reproduction. Many providers of obstetric and midwifery services have reported that pregnant women are increasingly using illicit drugs. This has a negative impact on the fetus. Substance usage also hampers the women's reproductive capacity. Women who use cocaine are particularly susceptible to miscarriages and pregnancy ...