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Drug-Using Parents: Policy Guidelines for Inter-Agency Working

NCJ Number
177033
Journal
Child Abuse Review Volume: 8 Issue: 1 Dated: Jan-Feb 1999 Pages: 29-33
Author(s)
J Billingham
Date Published
1999
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This is a comment on the family support approach with drug-using parents (see NCJ-177032) and a look at policy guidelines on interagency working with that client group.
Abstract
The policy guidelines include discussion of the place of drugs in local communities and view drug use within the context of family life. Recommendations stress the importance of treating drug-using parents in the same way as other parents. The guidelines give great significance to the collaborative approach, which can overcome the lack of knowledge within single agencies working with children's services, adult services and drug agencies. Collaboration can be achieved at different levels, including developing policies and strategies and commissioning and purchasing, as well as coordination among different service providers. In order for social workers to fulfill their responsibility to children whose parents use drugs, it is imperative that they have appropriate knowledge backed by considered values. Note, references