by Children & Family Services Director, Amber Miller
In Kansas, over 140,000 children live in an environment where substances are abused, and 5,155 infants are born exposed to substances every year. Substance use in the home affects every member of the family. Children living in families where addiction is an issue face significant risk. Early exposure to a home affected by substance use can cause a child to feel emotionally and physically neglected and unsafe. Statistics show that children in a substance-exposed home are 2.7 times more likely to be physically abused and 4.2 times more likely to be neglected by a parent, as well as being significantly more likely to be abused by others. Living in a household with substance use is the biggest predictor of children growing up to use substances themselves.
How Prevention Services Can Help
Despite these risks, it is well established that prevention and early intervention services like KCSL provides can break the intergenerational cycle of substance and child abuse within families. One substance-exposed child can cost a community more than $1.5 million over his or her lifespan. But every $1 spent on prevention saves society $7. With KCSL’s early childhood home visitation programs that work with substance using parents, we can aid in the recovery process, prevent child abuse and neglect, encourage self-sufficiency, and foster healthy child development.
Support is Key
Families with addiction struggles face a particular stigma in our society. It is crucial to provide support and not judgment. It is important to recognize that parents love their children and are trying their best. The good news is that the cycle of addiction in families can be broken with the proper help and support.
