RESEARCH CRITIQUE

Research Critique

Exploring the Impact of Parental Drug/Alcohol Problems on Children and Parents in a Midlands County (Research Critique)

Introduction

Researchers of social workers have started to shift focus of their researches to the issues that have potential to damage the majority of social system if ignored. Drug addiction and alcohol consumption is one of such issues that forced researchers to carry out researches in this area. One of such researches “exploring the impact of parental drug/alcohol problems on children and parents in a midlands county” by Claire Fraser, Annie McIntyre, and Martin Manby will be analysed critically in this paper, in order to validate the findings of this study and the method adopted by the researchers of this study. This research is published in 2009, by British Journal of Social Work.

Eligibility of Researchers for Writing on This Topic

Claire Fraser has worked previously as a Research Fellow at the Universities of Huddersfield and York, and is presently working as an independent research consultant. Annie McIntyre worked as a Project Officer (Health Promotion and Substance Misuse Treatment) for a Midlands County Council (2002-07). Martin Manby was director of Social Services for the London Borough of Greenwich (1982- 90) and director of Social Services for Sheffield (1990-97). Manby is also serving as director of Nationwide Children's Research Centre in Huddersfield since 1998. Though, the educational background of the researchers are not mentioned in the article, however, from the above facts it can be assumed that they all are eligible to write on this subject, not because of their past experiences but the knowledge they can develop regarding the subject on such leading positions (Grix, 2010).

Overview of Research

The impact of abuse of substance by parents upon children has been a subject of great concern and attention at present. This study presents detailed information on the issue of alcohol and drugs use amongst parents and its impacts upon children. Researchers decided to choose this subject after they have been exposed to the results of a research from "Child Protection Case Conference" which reveals the direct relationship between parental substance abuse to children substance abuse. Researchers used semi-structured interviews for establishing the relationship between parental substance abuse and its impact on children. The findings of the study indicate that about 920,000 children out of 1.3 million in UK live with parents who are addicted to drugs or similar substances. As a result of parental substance abuse, the research explores that, majority of children also consequently become subjected to different forms of domestic abuse, which ranges from physical torture to events causing mental stress and emotional distress. The research asserts that such substance abuse from parents have long-term influences on the behaviour of their children, which will inflict a severe, negative impact on the personalities of the children. The research, therefore, suggests that it is not be appropriate for the children to live with parents who are drug adductors. Researchers recommend the governmental bodies to introduce reforms and measures, to separate children from the parents who are ...