Parental Substance Abuse : Home Environment

by Child Welfare Information Gateway

(Page 7 of 10)

Assessment of the Home Environment

Much of the information described above may be obtained during interviews conducted outside the family home, but there is some information that can only be obtained through home visits. Because home visits allow the professional to assess the physical and social environment in which the family lives, these visits may reveal crucial information about family functioning and the parents' ability to provide safety for their children. For example, chemically involved parents sometimes give false addresses that turn out to be parking lots or empty stores. These parents also may list addresses of residences where they do not live. In some instances, parents may not actually have a permanent residence because they move frequently to avoid detection by authorities or because they have used their income to purchase drugs and/or alcohol. A family's situation may appear to be stable on the basis of interviews within an agency setting, but home visits may reveal a different picture. Assessment of environmental conditions, partners or parent substitutes within the home, and family support systems can help provide a more realistic picture.

Environmental Conditions of the Home

It is important to evaluate the family's environment because general living conditions can pose risks for illness or accidents. Furthermore, certain environmental conditions may be essential to a child's basic health and, in some instances, may even be lifesaving.

Here, as in the other assessment areas, sound clinical judgment and cultural sensitivity are of the essence. A family may live in poor circumstances, on the street, or in a shelter because of poverty, bad fortune, or hardship. However, a family's lack of residence or impoverishment also may be due to parental substance abuse. Understanding the reasons for a family's impoverishment is useful for determining the types of services that should be offered. In evaluating the home environment, professionals should assess the following:

How long has the family resided at the current address? Is a recent move related to an attempt to provide a safer environment for family members? Is there a pending eviction? Is this a stable residence? Often, planning for services, especially in-home services, depends on a family remaining at a particular address or within a specific geographic area.

Are there safety or health hazards? Are there rodents or other infestations? It is helpful to determine whether the family has attempted to remedy these situations as well as whether the family's housekeeping habits have contributed to these problems. Depending on the situation, advocacy, homemaking services, or parental education may be needed.

Is there food in the home?

What is the condition of the electrical system, gas lines, water supply, and sanitary facilities? Does the family have a telephone? If not, is there a nearby phone where messages can be left? These factors are particularly critical when a child in the family is medically fragile. For example, because children who have problems with their immune systems are highly susceptible to infections, unsanitary conditions may be life-threatening. Likewise, refrigeration is required for safe storage of many medications and special feeding supplements. For some children, such as those who require apnea monitors, a telephone in the home is essential.

If there is a newborn child, what supplies do the parents/caregivers have for the baby? Has a sleeping space for the infant been prepared? Assessment of these factors may tell the professional much about the parents' ability to plan ahead as well as about their understanding and acknowledgment of the infant's needs. If there are limited preparations for a newborn child, it is important to attempt to determine the extent to which poverty has played a role, or if the need for drugs or alcohol has greater priority than the infant's needs.

For older children, has basic clothing been provided? For example, do children have clothes that are appropriate for the season?

What toys are available for the children? Do they have a safe play space? This information can help the professional gain a better understanding of the way children's developmental needs are currently being met, as well as determine the need for referrals to day care, preschool, or Head Start programs.

Partners or Parent Substitutes Within the Home

Partners or other parent substitutes living in the home may be supportive, stabilizing individuals who can help with caregiving. However, these persons may be substance abusers, involved in illegal or violent activities, or may have histories of abusing or neglecting children. Because substance abuse can lead to a lessening of inhibitions and controls and because family stresses can increase in connection with the quest to maintain an addiction, chemical dependency on the part of persons living within the home can easily lead to violence. In assessing the home environment, professionals should note the following:

Who else lives in the home? What are these individuals' relationships with the children? Do they provide child care?

Is there a suspicion that others living in the home are involved in the use, manufacture, or sale of illicit substances or other criminal activities?

Do others within the home display poor impulse control? Is there evidence of domestic violence? Child abuse? Other forms of violence in the home?

About the Author

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Formerly the National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect Information and the National Adoption Information Clearinghouse, Child Welfare Information Gateway provides access to information and resources to help protect children and strengthen families. A service of the Children's Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.