Child welfare

Parenting attitudes and behaviors among parents involved with the child welfare system and affected by substance use disorders

Yoon, S., Ploss, A., Hutzel, M., Webb, R., Hatfield, A., Lee, J. Y., Munshi, A., Radney, A., & McClellan, J. (2024). Parenting attitudes and behaviors among parents involved with the child welfare system and affected by substance use disorders. Child abuse & neglect, 149, 106657. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2024.106657

Substance use among parents is a complex issue that poses serious issues including child maltreatment. Parents affected by substance use disorder (SUD) and involved in child welfare systems may experience difficulties in creating a safe and nurturing environment for their children due to substance use and multiple challenges they face, such as poverty, limited access to resources, and other systemic inequities and barriers. Parental substance use has been linked to less optimal parenting and child welfare outcomes, such as parentification, corporal punishment, child maltreatment, extended durations in out-of-home placements, and lower rates of family reunification. The implementation of the Sobriety Treatment and Recovery Teams (START) model in Ohio has allowed parents with at least one minor child to engage in SUD treatment services. START has successfully shown to improve rates of family reunification and reduce rates of child neglect while also helping parents reduce substance use.

Telephone surveys and qualitative interviews were utilized to explore parents’ perceptions of their parenting attitudes before and after participation in Ohio START (Sobriety, Treatment and Reducing Trauma). The survey data found that parenting attitudes towards appropriate family roles, parents’ level of proper expectations of children, and acknowledgment of children’s power and independence improved on their post-test. Qualitative interviews revealed themes including being present for children, engaging in activities with children, enjoyment in providing care to children, maintaining employment for financial stability, emotional regulation, stress management, and a sense of pride. Parents reported being involved in new activities with their children following participation in Ohio START. Findings from the study indicate positive changes in parenting attitudes and practices among parents who participate in Ohio START.

Ohio START: An adaption of the national sobriety treatment and recovery teams model.

Dellor, E. D., Allbright-Campos, M., Lee, J. Y., Bunger, A. C., Gadel, F., & Freisthler, B. (2024). Ohio START: An adaption of the national sobriety treatment and recovery teams model.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0190740924001476?via%3Dihub

Parental substance misuse is one of the pressing issues for children in the child welfare system.  Children affected by parental substance misuse, experience longer stays in out of home placement and are less likely to reunify  with their parents. Ultimately, these children are more likely to experience negative mental and developmental health outcomes as well as increased risk for substance use into adulthood. The National Sobriety Treatment and Recovery Teams (START) model was  designed to support families of parents struggling with substance misuse . The model aims to provide evidence-based practices to aid families in recovery while keeping families together whenever possible. Families who have at least one child younger than 6 years old who entered the child welfare system primarily for substance misuse are eligible for START. Kentucky’s implementation of the model has shown that participating mothers had higher rates of sobriety, demonstrated more effective parenting skills, and children were more likely to remain at home with their family. This study aimed to evaluate the delivery of the START model for families with older children between the ages 6 to18, compared to families with at least one child under 6. This study looked specifically at differences in prompt access to addiction treatment services and . The study found that children’s age group had no effect on families’ access to  addiction treatment services in a timely manner (receiving at least 4 treatment sessions within 38 calendar days) nor on achieving successful completion of case plans. Another significant finding was that the odds of successfully completing case plans increased with each additional child in the home. Perhaps the presence of children provides social support for parents who are battling addiction. Additionally, expanding availability of Ohio START to families with older children,  can reduce substance misuse among youth by participation  in their parents’ treatment journeys. For substance-affected families involved with Ohio’s child welfare system, the Ohio START model continues to provide timely access to addiction treatment services to successfully complete child welfare cases and ultimately to increase safety and permanency for children.