A Multidisciplinary Supported Playgroup for Children of Substance Dependent Parents

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A Multidisciplinary Supported Playgroup for
Children of Substance Dependent Parents
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MARCEL COTTAGE SUPPORTED PLAYGROUP

• 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)

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• 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

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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)

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• 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

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• 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.

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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

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• Children
• improve childrens 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

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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

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• 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

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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

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• Weekly case review development is monitored and
  specific activities planned for childrens needs
• Support needs are addressed through interaction
  within the group setting

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• 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

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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.

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• Relationship building with parents
• Parents approach staff with their concerns about
  childrens development or behaviour
• Parents approach staff with other concerns

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• Parental responsibility for, and ownership of,
  the playgroup
• Increase in families looking to access childcare
  and preschool after observing progress in
  childrens development at playgroup.

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• 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

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• 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

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• SAM AND MOLLY

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• KAREN AND ROSE

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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

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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
  childrens programme for methadone treatment
  patients in Western Sydney. Neonatal, Paediatric
  and Child Health Nursing, 6 (3), 8-14.