Introduction:
Parental substance abuse is ascribed to be the fundamental reason that has escalated the prevalence of child abuse and neglect. The rising trend in abuse and neglect have been made evident in both Australia and across the world, particularly from 1990 towards 2000 and beyond (Australian Institute, 2012).
Data compiled and analyzed by the Institute of Child Protection studies, Australia, in 2012, provides evidence that substance abuse and addiction is the prime culprit in almost 70 to 90 percent of all the child-welfare spending (Australian Institute, 2013). Essentially, most of this funding is invested in putting up childcare and protection centers, installing rehabilitation centers and programs for parents and children, as well as prosecuting legal cases in child-abuse and neglect related cases.
Impacts of parental substance abuse:
As Robert and Broomfield (2011) asserts, parental substance abuse implies that the basic needs of children go unmet: nutrition and nurturing, shelter and supervision. In such settings, it is usual to find other related problems, such as mental disorders, high levels of stress and depression, and unemployment.
The parental physical or mental impairment, directing of the available funds to buying drugs and alcohol, and spending most of their time in finding and using these drugs subsequently derail the parental functioning. As a result, neglect, emotional and sexual abuse, and physical abuse of children becomes manifest (Victoria, 2010).
The purpose of this report is to provide an account from the various theories defining parental substance abuse and child neglect. Additionally highlighting the prevalent bottlenecks, and their role in recommending viable intervention plans, which would be a leeway to alleviating the aforementioned problems.
Psychological theories:
According to Tilbury et al., (2009), the psychological theories espouse the possibility of internal defects. The defects could be genetically, biological or environmentally induced, among the affected individuals, particularly parents engaging in substance abuse and the subsequent child-abuse and neglect. These problems could be mentally related, such as poor impulse control, depression, and anxiety. With such factors in play, it proves difficult for a parent to extend the care recommended towards the upbringing of the family.
According to a recent study by the Australia National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, concluded in 2012, it was established that many parents experiencing depression and stressful conditions resort to alcohol and substance abuse. Instead, the individuals ought to seek professional services. As a result, the former conditions aggravate giving way to poor parentage that eventually yields child abuse and neglect (Australian Institute, 2013).
In many instances, parents with impulse control present rigid and unrealistic thinking. The parent might become obsessed with the idea that to some extent; the children are the chief causes of the perceived miseries. The child could want to explore, try new things, acquire them, or even seek their autonomy (Victoria, 2010).
These parents become frustrated and relate the behavior to deviance. As a result, the parents develop unexplained hatred and animosity, which becomes evident in repeated beatings and other forms of physical afflictions. These children suffer from pronounced emotional abuse and increased deprivations, at the hands of such parents.
As the attachment theory solidly endorses, an insecure parent-child relationship eventually gives way to future problems, related to violence and abuse. It is clear that a child that never gets the appropriate care from both parents, through corrective supervision, emotional reaffirmation, and provision of life essentials likewise considers any intimate attachment valueless. For example, research indicates that children raised in families where their parents engaged in alcohol and substance abuse presented a higher prevalence of developing mental, anxiety and other mental disorders than their counterparts (Tilbury et al., 2009).
Effects from abuse and maltreatment:
The effects from psychological or emotional abuse results to distancing from the abusive parent, contemplating on the abusive terms, or fighting back by insulting the abuser. The child sinks into self-blame and remorse, learned helplessness, and increased passive behavior. In case the child is exposed to indecent sexual behavior (exposure of the genitals, physical contact, selling the child services, or producing child pornography) the child develops self-esteem issues, post-traumatic disorders, sexual dysfunction, guilt, or even suicide ideation. The child also develops mistrust and fear of rejection (Victoria, 2010).
As a grown-up, the individual is prone to engage in substance abuse, from parental exposure, and subsequently inflict the same maltreatment to successive generations. Despite the affirmation, the urgency to recommending corrective approaches to averting both immediate and future violence and abuse is highly imperative (Australian Institute, 2012).
Strengths and weaknesses:
One core strength of the psychological theories is that they highly esteem the parent-child relationship and highlights it as a determinant to a responsible or irresponsible adulthood. However, the theories fall short of addressing how derailed mental dispositions can be aptly managed without compromising the development of the child (Robertson & Broomfield, 2011). Another limitation is that the theory does not explain the many factors relating to social and structural arrangements that influence the family. It is also not clear the extent to which the child forms the attachment since attachment is always conceptualized in relation to the maternal bond.
Moreover, the suggestion that violence and abusive behavior is genetic remains controversial and requires further research in the future. There are instances where the parent have been recorded to be abusive but neither of the offspring adopts such vices, and thus putting the biological theory in question.
Therefore, it proves critical to developing management strategies that protect children against the emotional and physical abuse and provides psychotherapeutic management plans towards the treatment and rehabilitation of the affected parents.
Sociological theories:
The structural and critical theories espouse that the main factors behind child abuse and neglect are tied to social and structural arrangements within the society. In this regard, the perceptions held by the individuals primarily contribute to violence, maltreatment, and negligence (Tilbury et al., 2009).
Poverty is highlighted as one of the prime factors to child negligence, where the limiting resources are invested in a manner that defines prejudice and discriminatory behavior. Under challenging environmental settings, the lack of economic and emotional resources present considerable stress. In such a context, it becomes difficult for the parent to sustain consistent supervision, be receptive to children, and provide a conducive environment.
In addition to poverty, discrimination based on gender, sexuality, ethnicity and race, incapacitation and age, disease and illness is a chief predisposition to social isolation and oppression. With prejudice thinking and perception, this ultimately yields to adverse conditions within the family. Individuals are compelled to make decisions based on what the society esteems. For instance, among the societies that have low admiration over either the boy or a girl child will be more prone to subjecting such children to discrimination, ill-treatment, and marginalization (Harris, 2012).
Effects from abuse and neglect:
Research provides evidence that lack of provisions due to poverty, withdrawn parental attention, as well as any form of personal attachment amid maltreatment and abuse hampers appropriate growth and physique development of the child. Moreover, the child is perpetually exposed to physical afflictions, which aggravates the privations. Negative outcomes on physical development include physical trauma resulting from beatings and blows to the head, thoracic cavity, violent shaking, or from burns and scalds. These afflictions could further result to brain damage, broken bones, and hemorrhages. As a result, the child manifests growth retardation, organic failure. Consequently, the child may die or acquire permanent incapacitations (Australian, 2002).
Over the last decade, scientists have established that chronic maltreatment and abuse gives way to chronic stress, which considerably influences the cognitive behaviors and long-term emotional difficulties among such children. The child loses the ability to control his or her emotions, prompting the child to aggressive behavior and increased anxiety.
Strength and weakness:
In consonance with Tilbury, the prime strength of the theories is that they assign more emphasis on the societal and institutional structures, their absolute powers, and their inclinations towards favoring the most advantaged. However, the theory overtly supports the suppression the population deemed weak or powerless (Tilbury, 2007). This perception is translated into the collective society and becomes manifest in the exploitative behavior among the less fortunate. However, the theory falls short in highlighting poverty and lack as the primary precursors towards neglect, for example. The theory fails to consider this prime fact, that families living in abject poverty are categorized at risk, and hence the rationale to appropriate intervention (Victoria, 2010).
Multidimensional theories:
Interactional and ecological theories highlight the role of both psychological and social factors towards child maltreatment. The interactional theory is more about psychology, while the ecological theory considers the role of the child and the external social environment in aggravating what is already a weak mental functioning state. The socio-cultural environment could have different perspectives on childbearing and upbringing, childcare and violence, academic achievements amid other social standards and societal norms (Tilbury et al., 2009).
The Interactional theory defines a sequence of events that possibly provoke a parent or a caregiver into abuse or neglect. The conditions could begin with stressful circumstances either within the family. The challenges could be related to disease and ill health, unemployment. Such factors are considered threatening and induce anger and frustration rather than solving them appropriately. The theory overstates the aspect of psychodynamics amid poverty but fails to embrace the reality that parents and caregivers under favorable conditions have the predisposition to be abusive.
Effects from abuse and maltreatment:
With stressful conditions within the family, the parent or caregiver has a disturbed state of mind and hence provides very little or nothing. Additionally, the parent withdraws any care or supervision whatsoever. Several studies have shown that infants subjected to abuse present delays in cognitive and intellectual development, which results to low IQ scores and language difficulties. In one study, it was revealed that that nearly half of the youth that repeats classes and grades have a history of childhood maltreatment.
Consequently, these individuals become dissuaded from pursuing education and eventually become truants. With time, these individuals engage in vices such as crime and prostitution as they mature. Victims of neglect and childhood sexual abuse are at higher risks of transmitting sexually transmitted diseases and rape cases in their adulthood (Tilbury, 2007).
Children experiencing childhood trauma and adversity develop personality disorders and depression towards adolescence and adulthood. According to the Australian Institute of Child Protection, 54 percent of all reported suicide cases have in the past decades involved individuals who had once been subjected to abuse and neglect in their childhood. Therefore, there exists the correlation between future juvenile delinquency and child abuse, and neglect.
Strengths and weaknesses:
One core strength of the ecological theory is in its holistic analysis through a detailed investigation of the family issues as well as the external environment. The theory associates abuse and neglect to an interactional relationship between the child, the parent, and the environment.
Comparatively, the theory fails to address the aspect of deficits in resources as the primary factor that escalates the societal prejudice and discrimination. On the other hand, the theory emphasizes temperament and mood fluctuations, between the child and the parent, as the precursors to abuse and neglect; however, it overlooks the interplay between the many factors. The theory is silent on what degree each of the causative factors influences the other.
Intervention measures:
Parents who misuse alcohol and other substances present impaired mental functioning that affects their parenting capabilities, and consequently yielding detrimental impacts on their children. For the purposes of alleviating the adverse outcomes on children, there are ways in which we can intervene.
The home-based education programs are most appropriate in providing guidance opportunities to parents suffering from mental conditions, such as stress and depression. A team of counsellors moves around homes after preliminary reports alcohol and substance abuse, child abuse and neglect. The team might be compelled to conduct further investigations relating to the underlying factors triggering the use of alcohol and other drugs. Where the client is cooperative, the team enlists the parent to a daily counselling program, which primarily focus on mental health (Harris, 2012).
As Robertson and Broomfield (2011) uphold, the psychotherapeutic team utilize treatment plans, such as motivational reviewing, cognitive behavior, and skills training. This training seeks to improve the state of mind and preventing relapses, and train parents to appropriately deal with challenging situations in life, responsible parenthood and self-help approaches. Where guidance and education alone is insufficient, the teams may seek pharmacotherapies, which include the use of medication to either treat the mental condition or manage it accordingly.
The health sector may involve itself in providing treatment to the parent, focusing primarily on the essence of lessening the adverse outcomes of alcohol and substance use. For example in Australia, the government has set up a National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre and the Commonwealth Department of Health. These are systems which provide alcohol and drugs withdrawal management programs, taken in both clinical and community settings. The programs, free from any prescribed medication, mainly focus on assisting the individual in quitting from the alcohol and drugs usage (Australian Institute, 2012).
Where poverty is ascertained to be the primary factor to abuse and negligence, it is apparent that the government and other agencies intervene by putting up child-welfare programs and institutions. These services include rescue centers and other parenting and child welfare facilities (Harris, 2012).
These homes are set for the purposes of treating and rehabilitating parents with a long-history into alcohol and substances abuse while still extending their parenting roles. In Australia, these services and facilities also serve on out-of-home care, under community setup where patients visit the centers for counselling and treatment, while monitoring their progress consistently.
In accordance to the operational law governing child protection and responsible parenthood, it is reasonable to sue any parent or caregiver partaking in any form of abuse or negligence. Therefore, the criminal and justice system of Australia makes it clear that all perpetrators of child violence and neglect must be duly prosecuted (Australian, 2002).
Conclusion:
The overall effects on children whose parents have indulged in substance abuse are often adverse. Despite the remarkable resilience, depicted, neglected children are more likely to engage in tobacco and alcohol abuse, and other hard drugs in due course. In addition, the aspect of juvenile delinquencies becomes evident, and in the end, such children gradually graduate into becoming criminals (Victoria, 2010).
It is hence critical to understand the problem of parental substance abuse on a wider scope, and further mitigate against the prospective adversities that render both the parent and the child as societal misfits.
References:
Australian (2002). Aboriginal child welfare, self-government and the rights of indigenous children protecting the vulnerable under international law. Farnham, Surrey, England, Ashgate. http://public.eblib.com/choice/publicfullrecord.aspx?p=806851.
Australian Institute Of Health and Welfare. (2013). Child protection Australia 2011-12. Canberra, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.
Harris-Short, S. (Australia. (2002). Family law and child protection: final report. [Barton, A.C.T. Family Law Council.
Price-Robertson, R., & Bromfield, L. (2011). Risk assessment in child protection. Melbourne, Vic, Australian Institute of Family Studies. http://www.aifs.gov.au/nch/pubs/sheets/rs24/index.html.
Tilbury, C. (2007). Good practice in child protection. Frenchs Forest, N.S.W., Pearson Education, Australia.
Tilbury, Clare. (2009) Theories about child abuse and neglect. In: Tilbury, Clare et al. Good Practice in Child Protection. French Forest, N.S.W.: Pearson Education, Australia.
Victoria. (2010). A career in child protection. Melbourne, Dept. of Human Services. http://www.dhs.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/605429/child-protection.pdf.
