Safeguarding Children with Drug and Alcohol Misusing Parents (DAAT)

The aim of the practice guidance is to assist staff in all agencies to identify situations where action is needed to safeguard a child and promote their welfare as a result of their parent’s drug and/or alcohol use.

Parental drug/alcohol use can cause concern about the welfare of children and is clearly a risk factor as evidenced by serious case reviews and research. However it is recognised that the use of drugs/alcohol does not preclude the possibility of good parenting.

Drug/alcohol use by themselves will not lead to a child being considered at risk of abuse or neglect. But professionals should positively ascertain why they think a parent’s drug/alcohol use is at a “safe” or “manageable level and does not constitute a child protection issue. The long term effect of substance misuse may not be immediately apparent but the continued absence, emotional or physical unavailability of a parent through substance misuse can be very detrimental to children and young people in numerous ways.

All organisations within Cambridgeshire will treat parents and pregnant women who use drugs/alcohol in the same way as other parents who require their support and services in terms of their eligibility for services.

 

Useful contacts

Addaction Alcohol treatment services

Referral line: 0800 021 30640
email: cambsalcohol@addaction.org.uk

Addaction Cambridge/Ely: 01223 723069

Addaction Huntingdon: 01480 424289

Addaction St. Neots: 01480 406823

Addaction Wisbech: 01945 469035

Addaction Drug treatment services

Addaction Cambridge/Ely: 01223 723020

Addaction Huntingdon: 01480 413800

Addaction St. Neots: 01480 406823

Addaction Wisbech: 01945 584444

Cambridgeshire Child and Adolescent Substance Use Service (CASUS)

Huntingdon: 01480 415278

Cambridge: 01223 214614

e-mail: CASUS@cpft.nhs.uk

Cambridgeshire Drug and Alcohol Action Team
Tel: 01223 699680
Website: www.cambsdaat.org

Social Work, Alcohol and Drugs
with accessible information on substance use that is geared specifically towards the social work profession, its roles, values and responsibilities.
Website: www.swalcdrugs.com/

FRANK
Free confidential drugs information and advice 24 hours a day.
Website: www.talktofrank.com/

Narcotics Anonymous
Tel: 0300 999 1212
Website: www.ukna.org

Family Support Resource
Website: www.alcoholdrugsandfamilies.nhs.uk/

Drinkline
Tel: 0800 917 8282

Alcoholics Anonymous
Tel: 01223 833 900
Website: www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk

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