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Substance use

Substance use

Parental mental ill health and substance use 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 use but may also experience difficulties themselves with mental ill health and substance use.

The following resources provide further information for social care practitioners.

Help and support can be accessed via the Camden drug and alcohol service "Change, grow, live"

The BASW guidance on parental substance use provides advice on working with  school age children affected by their parent's substance misuse.

Social care practitioners can use the following screening tools to obtain a view on the level and seriousness of parental substance use and its impact on parenting; this initial screening will be useful when referring parents on to CGL for a service.

Drug screening questionnaire

 Alcohol screening questionnaire

 CAFCASS drug use assessment

Substance use parenting assessment

The following information sheets may be useful for practitioners:

Ketamine

Fake medicines

Vapes

Last updated: 20 February 2026