Navigating co-parenting when one parent struggles with substance abuse is challenging. Still, with the right guidance and a focus on the child’s well-being, it’s possible to maintain a healthy parent-child bond. Expert insights can help parents understand the complexities of addiction while ensuring that their child’s emotional and physical needs remain the top priority. Taking a thoughtful, informed approach allows families to create a path forward that supports both recovery and stability.
In this episode of Children First Family Law, Krista continues her two-part series on substance abuse and co-parenting, informed by Dr. Stephanie Tabashneck’s expertise. Krista discusses how substance abuse affects children, the importance of maintaining attachment even in difficult situations, and why relapse is often part of the recovery process. Krista also breaks down common myths about addiction, the risks of disrupting a child’s connection to a caregiver, and how a trauma-informed approach can lead to better outcomes. She shares her top ten tips for judges and attorneys handling these cases and practical steps for setting up a treatment plan that keeps communication open while prioritizing the child’s well-being.
During this episode, you’ll learn more about:
- Relapse is a common part of substance use disorder, often triggered by stress, improper treatment, or unmanaged mental health conditions. Family courts should recognize that recovery is a process, and rigid, all-or-nothing expectations can sometimes do more harm than good.
- Many misconceptions about addiction persist, such as the idea that people must hit rock bottom to seek treatment or that total abstinence is the only path to recovery. Understanding the real factors behind substance use—like genetics, trauma, and mental health—helps create more effective support systems for parents and children.
- A child’s bond with their parent is crucial, and the way substance use is discussed can shape that attachment. Instead of framing addiction as a failure, parents should use age-appropriate explanations that reinforce love and stability while maintaining honesty about the struggles involved.
- Effective treatment plans must be realistic, considering a family’s financial and logistical constraints. A strong plan includes therapy, structured substance monitoring, and clearly defined recovery steps that support both the parent’s and the child’s well-being.
- Because relapse is often part of recovery, a detailed plan helps ensure stability for the child. This plan should specify the next steps, identify support systems, and outline how parenting time will be adjusted temporarily without unnecessary disruptions.
- Completely severing a child’s relationship with a parent due to substance use can have lasting developmental consequences. Courts should minimize disruptions by implementing supervised visitation or gradual reintegration plans when safe.
- Parents struggling with substance use often have underlying trauma and an approach that acknowledges this can lead to better recovery outcomes. Providing support instead of judgment encourages long-term healing and more effective co-parenting.
- Legal professionals should focus on individualized solutions, recognizing that not all substance use poses the same risk. Prioritizing child safety while maintaining parent-child attachment, allowing for structured recovery plans, and avoiding unnecessary restrictions can lead to better family outcomes.
Substance abuse disorders are complicated, leaving lasting impacts on families, especially when children are involved. Maintaining a relationship with a parent suffering from the effects of substance abuse is most often the best outcome for both parent and child.
If you want to learn more about The Children First Family Law Podcast, check out www.childrenfirstfamilylaw.com/leading-research-on-better-ways-to-approach-alcohol-drug-misuse-and-child-custody-part-2