what steps does a parent who is a drug user and prostitute need to take in order to gain full access of child?

Question

This is for an essay. The person in the case study is on a Drug Testing and Treatment order. Is the person entitled to a needs assessment and the same services as people who have not offended. I cant find this information anywhere.Please help even if someone could direct me to an appropriate sight.

Answer 1

She is entitled to an assessment, however having full access to her daughter would be another issue. It would be putting the child in an unsafe and vunerable position. mother may leave the child at home whilst she goes onto the streets, there is also the risk of her bringing men home plus she may leave drugs lying around the house. No child should have to witness or endure such surroundings. Over recent years too many mistakes have been made through wrong decision making and we cant afford to make any more..
Until the mother can prove that she is clean from drugs and is no longer prostituting herself the only solution would be for the mother and child to have supervised contact. Although mum will get all the help and support she needs the welfare of the child is paramount, therefore it will be the childs safety that will be of the highest importance. Family contact will be promoted on pre-arranged basis.If the child is placed with the local authority under a section 30 the authority will have parental responsibility.

Answer 2

These poor kids are screwed from the beginning: live with a drug addict, or as a ward of the state. When people recreationally involve themselves with mild drugs like pot, unfortunately the state looks at this as the same as being a chronic crack-head. We're all responsible for our behavior morally before legally, meaning that the law isn't the only reason not to engage in prostitution, or hard drug use. Not many people are raised to think that these are good things. You may come from a disfunctional family, but family isn't the only exposure to the truth available to us. If people are engaging in this type of activity, I suspect that self pity could be found at the root of it. If you pity yourself so much, how much caring is left for the child? The prostitution and drugging are more symptoms of a greater mental health issue, which is probably not well adressed is this check-list oriented society. The only true step that can be taken is true change. This is if one is interested in true quality of life, rather than passing a test. Remember, the kid is screwed to begin with. The kid is the most important thing here. All the state can do is decide on the lesser of evils.

Answer 3

Assuming you're in England or Wales, your best bet is to ask your local Social Service Department, in Scotland the local Social Work Department (don't know about Northern Ireland).
What she is entitled to in terms of assessment and services will depend on the criteria applied locally as different areas have different priorities. There is very little support in most areas to get people off drugs and that will be the main issue; the prostitution will just be a way to raise money to feed her habit. Some areas have residential assessment centres where her parenting skills will be assessed. It might be worth looking at the Community Care website for information or doing a search for rehab. As well as parenting skill she will need to prove she can protect her children.

Answer 4

Usually they pretend to cooperate with the system by following what the court and child protective services tells them to do, eg pretend to stop taking drugs, go through the motions of getting therapy for their problems, but because of their various mental health issues, they usually find that actually following through is too difficult for them, and soon go back to all their old habits before they can regain custody. .... In my humble observation.

Answer 5

My guess would be to get off the drugs and stop sleeping around. Of course they would also have to prove that they could provide financially and provide a stable loving environment.

Answer 6

good luck.

The idea alone of loosing one's children should be a major deter for parents to not do drugs.

I'd rather loose my life than loose my kids.

Prostitution is not a disease, they can stop that once they have decided to get an education.

Answer 7

Each state has different things they watch for. In some states, they could cointinue to offend, but if they make it to all their appointments, they win. Consult the foster care authorities and ask them exactly what they are looking for. Don't settle for "clean up your act", ask them really, what they are charting.

Answer 8

As far as I'm concerned, such people should never be given access to there children.