"They Should Have Them All Over the Place": A Health Program for Children of Illicit Drug Users

• Published in: Substance use & misuse 2000-01, Vol.35 (10), p.1405-1417
• Main Authors: Byrne, Judith T, Bedford, Helen, Richter, Kimber Paschall, Bammer, Gabriele
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Advocacy; Australia; Biological and medical sciences; Canberra, Australia; Child; Child abuse; Child of Impaired Parents - psychology; Child Welfare; Child, Preschool; Children; Children of drug users; Drug Abuse; Drug abusers; Health; Health Care Services; Health Education; Health Promotion; Heroin Dependence - rehabilitation; Humans; Infant; Medical sciences; Mental health; Methadone - therapeutic use; Mothers; Narcotics - therapeutic use; Outreach Programs; Parenting; Parents; Prevention; Prevention. Health policy. Planification; Program Evaluation; Programmes; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Social Programs; Social psychiatry. Ethnopsychiatry; Social Support; Street Drugs
• ISSN: 1082-6084; 1532-2491
• DOI: 10.3109/10826080009148222

A peer-based support and advocacy group for illicit drug users in collaboration with a community nurse developed an innovative program for the children of users. The program provides well-baby checks, immunization monitoring, parenting advice, monitoring of children's safety, a free lunch and education about nutrition, as well as activities for the children and mothers. In addition, it allows mothers to have time out in a friendly, relaxed, safe, and nonjudgmental environment. The program has been running for more than 7 years, costs little, and gives a hard-to-reach population access to valuable health care.