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

Which children are most at risk of significant harm? 91that when exposed to domestic violence girls are more likely than boys to manifestinternalising and externalising behaviour problems (Sternberg et al. 2006). A morewidely applicable phenomenon is the finding that girls are less affected in the shortterm, but as parental problems continue they are just as likely to exhibit distress asboys (for domestic violence see Yates et al. 2003; with relation to problem alcoholand drug use see Werner 1986 and Tweed 1991; for parental mental illness see Rutter1985 and Stewart et al. 1980). Finally, Moffitt and colleagues’ (2007) prospectivelongitudinalstudy found that genes moderated an individual’s response to stressfullife events (see also Caspi et al. 2003; Rutter et al. 2006).Individual variations in how children respond are, in part, a function of theseverity, characteristics and social and cultural context of their parents’ problems.Children are less likely to be affected adversely from parental mental illness when:it is mildit is of short durationone parent does not suffer from mental illnessit is unassociated with family discord, conflict and disorganisationit is unassociated with the family breaking upthe children have good social networks, especially with adults.(Rutter 1990; Smith 2004; Somers 2007)In relation to parental alcohol and drug misuse, children are less likely to suffersignificant harm when:one parent has no problems with alcohol or drug usetreatment is being given to the parent(s)parents manage to maintain a cohesive relationship and present a united andcaring front to the childother responsible adults are involved in child carefamily rituals and activities are maintaineddrugs, needles and syringes are out of reach of childrenthe child is not present when drugs are takensubstance misuse does not take place in the homethe social environment does not expose children to contact with drug usersor other criminal activity