Living with an elephant: growing up with parental substance misuse
- Författare
- Kroll B.
- Titel
- Living with an elephant: growing up with parental substance misuse
- Utgivningsår
- 2004
- Tidskrift
- Child & Family Social Work
- Volym
- 9
- Häfte
- 2
- Sidor
- 129-40
- Sammanfattning
Although parental substance misuse is now a focus of concern in child welfare practice, we know little about what it is really like for children who grow up in families where adult drug and/or alcohol use is an issue. Set against a backdrop of research links between parental substance misuse and child maltreatment, this article examines a number of studies that focus on the experiences of children and young people in this context. Emerging themes are identified which provide insight into the world of children for whom a substance is, effectively, a family member –'the elephant in the living room'– and the implications for practice, particularly in relation to children's visibility, disclosure and confidentiality, are considered. It is argued that a focus on the 'elephant' often leads to children remaining 'invisible' to those whose role it is to ensure their welfare.