The impact of parental problem drug use on children: what is the problem and what can be done to help?
OBJECTIVE
To review the literature on the impact of parental problem drug use on children, and indicate the efficacy of key evaluated interventions to reduce the impact of parental drug use on children.


METHODS
Comprehensive narrative review of English language published research and intervention spanning the last three decades identified through searching library databases and citation.


RESULTS
Problem drug use can impede parenting and the provision of a nurturing environment. Although small-scale, localized and resource-intensive these key evaluated interventions show cautious optimism that problem drug-using parents can reduce drug use and achieve better family management. Children have rarely been directly the focus of intervention.


CONCLUSIONS
Wider application and more rigorous evaluation of interventions in this area are needed. Given the scale of the problem it is important to establish how statutory services can apply the lessons of these more localized interventions.
Barnard
Marina
M
Centre for Drug Misuse Research, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK. m.a.barnard@socsci.gla.ac.uk
McKeganey
Neil
N
D002648:Child; D002654:Child Care / Q000523:psychology; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D012944:Social Support; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation