Families can work – Time to end the blame game

Deborah Cameron, Chief Executive

addaction

Drugs, alcohol & families

• 360,000 adult problem drug users in UK

• < 3 m adults with alcohol dependency

• 8 m adults with alcohol use disorder

• 1.5 m children in substance misusing homes

• > 1 m children whose parents abuse alcohol

• At least 350,000 where there is drug taking

Consequences for children

• Loss of respect

• Worry about parents

• Disrupted education

• Angry, disaffected & potentially emotionally stunted

• Risk of physical neglect – accidents

• Risk of abuse

• 7 times more likely to use drugs as adults

Addaction’s vulnerable children

• 27,000 service users

• 26% acknowledge dependent children =

• 10,000 children living with Class A drug users

• Some services – 50%-66% =

• Up to 30,000 children affected

• About 3,000 service users under 18

THE EVIDENCE

We are potentially working with more children than adults

The family issues:

• Families often ignored

• BUT relatives may be harmed

• Often provide support

• OR they may be part of the problem

And they are blamed

Addaction’s work to support families• Maya Project, South London

• Mother & baby service, Glasgow

• Addaction Hackney – access to child care & a safe environment

• Working with the whole family - Breaking the Cycle and Youngaddaction plus pilot programmes

• Pilots independently evaluated by MHRDU at University of Bath

• Addaction Derby Open College Network (OCN) qualifications

The challenge

• Treatment model based on individual pathology, not social system

• No resources invested in measuring impact

• Adults reluctant to share information about family

• Fear that children will be removed

• Professionals expect chaotic families to meet unrealistic targets

Introducing Alpana

Alpana Ali lives in London’s Bengali community.

She began using heroin and crack cocaine 5 years ago when her marriage ran into problems.

Her daughter, Amita, 11 years old, was placed in local authority care.

Her husband Darshan does not understand drug use or how it could be treated. His English was poor.

Alpana: What we did• Supported Alpana to engage with local community treatment

service, where she received a script for methadone.

• There was pressure from Alpana’s husband and family to give up her methadone treatment:

In partnership with Bengali speaking co-worker, we supported father and maternal grandparents to:

Increase awareness about drugs and treatmentRe-build trusting relationshipsTalk to children about drugsHelp mother to complete treatment

Alpana: And the result

• Alpana has been drug-free for 3 months

• We worked with social services to review family progress and look at alternatives to adoption for Alpana’s daughter. Children’s Services plan to return Amita permanently to family

• She will be soon be returned to her grandparents care and into her father’s custody.

• Alpana and her husband are expecting their second child - we have drawn up a child protection plan for the unborn child.

What have we learned so far?

• Training & support for front line staff is fundamental

• Complex problems need tailor-made multi-agency solutions

• If risk assessment allows ….

• Give families a real chance ….

• People can make extraordinary changes

• Essential to share thoughts, concerns & ideas between agencies

To conclude:

• Substance misusing parents are usually keen to give their children a better life

• If professionals recognise this, it can make all the difference

• Really practical help is crucial – many services are not family friendly

• Honesty is essential