Working with Substance-affected Parents and Their Children

Working with families where one or more parents are dependent on, or have problems with alcohol or other drugs can be complex, stressful and intense. In addition, the problematic use of alcohol or other drugs is often accompanied by a range of other issues including trauma, poor mental health, child neglect and abuse, domestic violence and relationship problems, as well as financial, legal, employment and housing difficulties. This resource has been designed to assist new case workers across many different settings to better support parents struggling to overcome substance use problems. Based on extensive consultation with professionals from alcohol and other drug treatment centres, child and family welfare sectors and leading academics in the fields of addiction and child protection, this book has been organized around understanding and overcoming commonly experienced practice dilemmas. There is advice on developing positive relationships with parents and children, guidelines on what to look for when undertaking an assessment, strategies for ensuring the safety of families, improving family life and assisting parents when children are in care, and recommendations for self-care and professional development. This is an essential book for both students and professionals working in this field.