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Substance misuse

Substance misuse

Parental mental ill health and substance misuse are factors that can have a negative impact on parenting capacity and often co-exist. Children and young people may be adversely affected by their parent's mental ill health or substance misuse but may also experience difficulties themselves with mental ill health and substance misuse.

Use of alcohol or drugs can affect a parent’s ability to care for their children depending on the level and nature of the misuse, and this may subsequently affect their children’s welfare and development.

For information on parental substance misuse and working with partner agencies to assess risk, social workers can refer to the CSCP multi-agency guidance on working with parents who misuse substances:

For details of joint working with substance misuse services where parents have a substance misuse issue, social workers should refer to the CSSW/substance misuse services joint working protocol.

Last updated: 03 December 2021