The impact of parental substance misuse on children – tolerable use/intolerable impact

Title : The impact of parental substance misuse on children – tolerable use/intolerable impact

Abstract:

Purpose: Parental alcohol and/or drug misuse can have a detrimental impact on children. The aim of this presentation is to help professionals to understand how children may be affected, to identify concerns early and ensure children get the help and protection they need.

Design: The presentation is based on a wide range of research, both national and international, and uses a developmental framework to explore how exposure to parental alcohol and drug misuse can affect children’s health and wellbeing.

Findings: Around 4% of children in England are living with a parent who uses alcohol or drugs. This is likely to be a significant underestimation as parents are often reluctant to disclose their substance misuse.  Problem drinking or drug use rarely exists in isolation and is often associated with domestic abuse and mental health problems. Such a mixture of parental issues is a toxic combination for children.

The consequences for children can be long-term and affect every aspect of their safety and wellbeing. Child protection systems often fail to respond appropriately to families in which alcohol and drug misuse presents a risk of harm to children.

Originality: Previous work on how parental substance misuse can affect children has, in general, examined the overall harm they can experience. This presentation explores, through adopting a developmental approach, how exposure can affect children’s social, emotional and cognitive development.

Biography:

Hedy Cleaver PhD, B.Sc., CSW is a Chartered Psychologist and the author of over 40 research based books, papers and chapters exploring the impact of adverse family circumstances on children’s health and development.  Her current research focuses on the impact of issues such as domestic violence, substance misuse, mental illness and learning disability, on parent’s capacity to safeguard and promote the welfare of their children.  Her most recent publications include Children’s Needs – Parenting Capacity (TSO) and Parenting a Child Affected by Domestic Violence (BAAF).

Hedy started her career as a social worker in Jamaica before returning to the UK to qualify as a child psychologist. She practiced as a psychologist both within schools and clinical settings. In 1984 she joined the Dartington Social Research Unit and embarked on a research career devoted to exploring the antecedents to the behavioural difficulties children presented. Since 1999 Dr Hedy Cleaver has been based at Royal Holloway and is currently an emeritus professorial research fellow. For 6 years prior to her move to Royal Holloway she was a senior research fellow at Leicester University.

Her earlier experience as a practitioner informs her research on vulnerable children and families and the impact of professional interventions. The guiding principle underpinning her work is a desire to improve the quality of life for children living in circumstances that place them at risk of abuse and neglect. The findings from her research have had an identifiable impact on policy in the UK in respect to children and families throughout the last 25 years.