Kinship Care and Parental Substance Misuse by Kroll - Essay Example

No one can take the place of parents in life. Such families need intervention by social services to protect the child (as cited in Kroll, 2006, p.84).

As Broad discussed social institutions do not allow children to stay with their substance-misusing parents. Kinship care, offered primarily by family members, is an option that allows the children to remain in the family atmosphere. Family members especially the grandparents can play a special role in such circumstances (as cited in Kroll, 2006, p.86). On the other hand, various studies about kinship carers in the US have revealed their own social and financial problems. Kinship carers can be poor and illiterate. Kinship care, a blessing or a curse, is a matter of discussion according to Cuddeback (as cited in Kroll, 2006, p.86). Also, because of preborn maternal drug abuse, children may have to face serious health and behavioral problems. However, compared to non-kin care, kinship care is a more stable option as concluded by Beeman & Boisen (as cited in Kroll, 2006, p.86).

Barnard noted that support from family members protects kids from the consequences of the irresponsible and violent behavior of their parents. Moreover,r parents who want to get rid of their drug problems can achieve this while their children are being taken off by their family members. On the other side, the presence of caretakers frees the parents from their responsibility and they do not try to change their habits (as cited in Kroll, 2006, p.87).

 Substance misuse can pass from parents to their children. It is a very serious matter of concern. Kids who face such problems at home in their childhood often fall prey to such a practice very easily in their adulthood. Inheritance is not the only reason for substance misuse, other factors such as social circle, and economic or emotional troubles can also lead to the same. Parental conduct can be a reason for shame for the children in society and can have adverse effects on their mental state making them vulnerable to other social evils as suggested by Kroll, Woodcock & Sheppard (as cited in Kroll, 2006, p.88).  

Howe has argued that in cases, where parents neglect their children, are never present for them, and do not provide the required emotional support and loving environment at home; children develop violence and rejection in their conduct. They feel detested and lonely (as cited in Kroll, 2006, p.89). Kids become chaotic, disorganized,d and out of control. They are not able to adjust to their carer families and are always irritated and annoyed. It is not easy to adjust to the changes associated with kinship placements for children, their parents, and their carers as well. There are multiple emotions involved. Parents may develop a guilt complex and fear. Children may feel bad getting away from their parents and carers may feel bad about handling the responsibility of another child. Therefore all these matters need the interference of professional help (Kroll, 2006,p.89).

The article tries to cover every issue related to the matter of parental substance misuse, the consequences on the children,n and the role of kinship care. However, the heavy vocabulary used frequently in the article makes it difficult to understand. The author has used four lines on average for shorter paragraphs and about eight to nine lines for longer ones. The average number of words used per line is twenty-five to thirty.

Conclusion

The issue of parental substance misuse needs in-depth research by scholars to highlight its possible consequences on children. Social services must interfere in such families so that a cycle of this evil passing from parents to children can be prohibited