The book examines the impact of drug use on all members of the familyincluding the reactions of parents whose child is using drugs, siblingrelationships and the affects of parental drug use on children.
In 2003, the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs published HiddenHarm, its watershed report on parental drug misuse. Not only did itraise awareness, but it was also the catalyst for improvements inservice provision and inter-agency working. But Barnard argues that itis not just about systems and processes and she believes there is a needto drill down to, and possibly change, assumptions and relationshipsbetween practitioners and families.
One key assumption is that a parent who misuses drugs is not necessarilya bad parent. However, as Barnard is right to emphasise, we do not helpparents or their children if we fail to recognise the potential fortheir parental capacity to be compromised, and attempts not tostigmatise should not outweigh the need and preparedness to intervene.For this point alone, the book should be compulsory reading for anyonein contact with a member of a family affected by drug use.
The concluding chapter looks at policy responses and makes somesuggestions, such as supporting the role of extended family carers andproviding safe havens for children.
Families affected by drug abuse can be helped, but the challenge is toensure the funding and the aspirations of policy are translated into theactions of service providers. As Barnard says, if we fail to helpfamilies we should not say we did not know what they were going through.You won't be able to after reading this book.
- Reviewed by Martin Barnes, chief executive, DrugScope
Drug Addiction and Families
Marina Barnard
Jessica Kingsley Publishing
ISBN 9781843 104032
175pp
19.99
