Preventing Child Placement in Substance-abusing Families: Research-informed Practice

The authors present finding from their study of a placement prevention program designed to facilitate addiction treatment for substance-abusing mothers and other primary caregivers reported for child maltreatment. Relationships between involvement in the program, the status of addiction treatment, and the variety of outcomes for caregivers and their children were tested. Findings indicate that nearly half of the participants were able to complete addiction treatment and achieve sobriety. Those who used the program's child day care component were three times more likely to complete treatment. Implications for confronting the problem of substance-abusing caregivers in the child welfare system are drawn.