Ensuring The Safety Of Children In Homes Haunted By Substance Abuse

Traditionally, child custody cases are part of divorce proceedings. Each state has its laws on determining which parent gains custody. The overall rule is that decisions are made for what is deemed to the best for the child. The child’s physical, financial, emotional, and mental well-being takes priority in anything.

This becomes especially apparent when child services are called for endangerment cases. Even if the parents have no intention of dissolving their marriage, children can be taken away if it found that the parents are unfit to take care of their child. Many factors are considered.

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Criminal law prosecutors are seeing an increasing trend of children growing up in homes haunted by substance abuse. These are normally more challenging to handle because there is normally no evidence of direct contact with the child. That is, drug paraphernalia or alcoholic bottles can be found littered in the homes, but children are often not the ones being injected with the drug or alcohol. If they are, these children rarely admit it, in fear of their parents. Similarly, parents or guardians never admit to harming the child directly. Many cases have paraphernalia but no actual harm.

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Another difficult aspect of these types of cases is that these are very rarely reported. Children often grow up in these environments and do not consider it strange or unusual. For those who do suffer from these conditions, children are often told by their parents not to report it to authorities.

What can be done is for teachers and neighbors to notice any drastic changes in children’s behavior or appearance. Even inhaling toxic fumes from certain drugs can manifest themselves in a child’s demeanor. Additionally, friends and families should carefully monitor drug or alcohol addicts who are taking care of very young children.

Atty. Micheal J. Donohue of Allentown, Pennsylvania is part of the trusted team at DONOHUE LAW. This firm specializes in criminal law and misdemeanor acts. Learn more when you visit this website.