Children's Needs – Parenting Capacity - Digital Education Resource ...

Child development and parents’ responses – children under 5 years 115Key to the well-being of the child when a parent suffers from mental illness,learning disability or substance misuse is the presence of a safe caring adult. However,the detrimental impact on attachment will be compounded if the mother is livingin a violent relationship. Rather than being able to compensate, violent men oftenemotionally distance themselves from their children (Holden and Ritchie 1991).When parents put their own needs above those of the infant, which may happenwhen parents have a learning disability, alcohol or drug problems or are mentallyill, this reduces their commitment and may interfere with the attachment process.However, this is not necessarily the case and many parents who experience suchdifficulties in fact prioritise their children’s needs (Ackerson 2003).Some parents with drug problems (as well as parents without drug or alcoholproblems) may be tempted to use non-prescription drugs to calm their baby,especially when the baby is not sleeping or is agitated. Annually there are a fewdeaths of young babies attributed to problem drug-using parents giving them illicitdrugs. While this is not common, it must be kept in mind that it is possible, andparents need to be given clear instructions on not medicating their babies withoutthe close involvement of medical staff.To sum upKey problems for children aged 0–1 year Drug and alcohol use and violence during pregnancy may have causedneurological and physical damage to the baby. Babies suffering neonatal abstinence syndrome or foetal withdrawalsymptoms may be difficult to manage. Babies may be born with the HIV or hepatitis B or C virus. Babies may be injured during incidents of domestic violence. Babies’ health needs may not be recognised and they may be neglectedphysically and emotionally. Cognitive development and learning may be delayed through parents’inconsistent, under-stimulating and hostile behaviour. A lack of commitment and increased unhappiness, tension andirritability, insensitivity and emotional unavailability in parents mayresult in inappropriate responses which causes poor bonding and insecureattachment. Problems in relation to the baby’s health and development may be exacerbatedby living in an impoverished physical environment.