Transcript PowerPoint

A Multidisciplinary
Supported Playgroup for
Children of Substance
Dependent Parents
MARCEL COTTAGE
SUPPORTED PLAYGROUP
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Families with children age 0-5 years
Parents are on the methadone programme
Held at methadone clinic in Blacktown
Supported by Clinical Nurse Specialist,
Speech Pathologist, Occupational
Therapist and Parent-Infant Therapist
(Psychologist)
• Project currently funded through the
DoCS Early Intervention Programme
• Implemented by Sydney West Area
Health Service – joint initiative of
the PC & CH network and Area Drug
and Alcohol Services
WHY THIS
POPULATION?
• Vulnerable and at-risk families
• Increased likelihood of impaired parenting
capacity and subsequent poor child
outcomes (Barnard & McKeganey, 2004)
• Risk factors for children include: exposure
to drugs prenatally; interruptions to, or
poor, parent-child relationships; chaotic
family life; increased risk of neglect,
physical abuse and sexual assault (Patterson,
Digiusto, Lord, Wales & Lamb, 2003)
Risk factors may result in:
• Developmental delay,
• Speech and language delays,
• Motor delays,
• Social and behavioural disorders,
• Learning disabilities,
• Hypersensitivity to environmental stimuli and
• increased risk of attachment disorders that can
have significant long term consequences
• Parents are less likely to access ante- and
postnatal care, may avoid seeking help for
parent-child problems, have fears around
interventions by child protection
authorities, and may be isolated from
traditional health services (e.g., Patterson et al.,
2003)
• Therefore these children are also at
higher risk of remaining undetected and
untreated until reaching school.
AIM OF PLAYGROUP
Parents:
• provide support in an accepting
environment
• build confidence
• develop healthier parenting practices and
parent-child relationships
• develop social networks for themselves
and their children
• improve access to services
Children :
• improve children’s developmental outcomes
• support with speech and language
• support with motor development
• Behavioural and emotional support
• play skills
• peer relationships
• school readiness
• experiencing a warm and nurturing environment
WHY A MULTI-D
PLAYGROUP?
• Large numbers of young children and
infants attending clinic with their parents
• Accessibility – playgroup is on-site and on
the busiest day of the week
• Informal setting that is child-focussed
reducing the negative associations many
parents have about traditional intervention
• Gives families the opportunity to
access a “normal” family activity
without feeling judged by their
methadone status
• Wholistic approach to development
and parenting from the different
professions
HOW DOES IT WORK?
• One morning a week for two hours
• Play-based activities designed to
stimulate child development
• Screening of developmental
strengths and weaknesses conducted
through observation and discussion
with parents
• Weekly case review : development is
monitored and specific activities
planned for children’s needs
• Support needs are addressed
through interaction within the group
setting
• Parents are encouraged to stay and
play with their children
• Modelling positive interaction and
play with the children
• Staff focus on building trusting
relationships with the parents and
children
HAS IT WORKED?
• Average number of 13 children attending
each week
• Average number of 10 parents attending
each week
• Average length of stay is 39 minutes.
• 16 of the 33 different children who
attended in Term 1 2006 were of ATSI
background.
• Relationship building with parents
• Parents approach staff with their
concerns about children’s
development or behaviour
• Parents approach staff with other
concerns
• Parental responsibility for, and
ownership of, the playgroup
• Increase in families looking to access
childcare and preschool after
observing progress in children’s
development at playgroup.
• Children ask parents to take them to
playgroup
• Children observed to participate in more
functional play, attend and follow
instructions better and demonstrate
improved speech and language skills
• Parents report improved behaviour, speech
and motor skills following regular
attendance at playgroup
• Clients of the methadone clinic bringing other
clients’ children, or their grandchildren, after
observing the group
• Extended family have attended the playgroup (3
generations)
• Parents are starting to network outside of
playgroup and encourage each other to attend
• Four children who attended in 2005 now attending
school and reported to be doing well
SAM AND MOLLY
KAREN AND ROSE
WHY IS IT WORKING?
• Focus on engaging with families –
therapeutic relationship
• Flexibility in service delivery
• Multi-disciplinary team
• Recognition and awareness of children in
an adult –focussed service
• Increased family-orientation in the future
REFERENCES
Barnard, M. and McKeganey, N. (2004). The impact
of parental problem drug use on children: what is
the problem and what can be done to help?.
Addiction, 99, 552-559.
Patterson, G., Digiusto, E., Lord, B., Wales, P. and
Lamb, R. (2003). Evolution of a healthy children’s
programme for methadone treatment patients in
Western Sydney. Neonatal, Paediatric and Child
Health Nursing, 6 (3), 8-14.