‘Black Cloud’ Of Methadone Use That Threatens The Welfare Of Childre

When Sandra is taking methadone she lives her life under a “black cloud”. She closes the curtains and cannot muster the energy to take her eight-year-old twins to the park or play with her two-year-old son.

The 37-year-old from Glasgow has now been off the heroin substitute for 25 days thanks to the help of an innovative rehabilitation project in Glasgow.

And the mother-of-three believes coming off methadone and support from the Aberlour Child Care Trust has helped her become a better parent.

“When you are on it there is a black cloud hanging over you, whereas when you are off it, it starts to lift,” she said.

But Sandra is one of the lucky ones.

A report released yesterday revealed almost 7,000 people using methadone have dependants under the age of 16, prompting fears for childrens’ welfare.

Meanwhile the number of people using the opiate overall has reached record levels. At more than 21,000 it is 10 per cent higher than previously thought. But a separate study also revealed there are not enough alternative treatments, including help to come off drugs completely, available.

The Aberlour Child Care Trust is the only charity in Scotland to provide rehabilitation to both mothers and children.

The reports on methadone were ordered by the Executive as part of a review following the death of toddler Derek Doran who found the drug in his family home. They were conducted by experts from the Scottish Drugs Forum and NHS Scotland.

An estimated 40-60,000 children in Scotland are affected by drug abuse according to Executive statistics. And yesterday experts and politicians said it was imperative to wean parents off the drug.

Children’s charity NCH Scotland said offering a diversity of treatments would help tackle the problem.

“A range of treatment options are needed in Scotland to help get people off drugs, and not just for people convicted of offences,” said a spokesman.

And Annabel Goldie, the leader of the Scottish Tories, said the number of families affected by drug addiction was horrifying.

“Methadone has a role to play as one of a range of options. But we need to dramatically expand these options and that includes more rehabilitation. Let’s be clear about this. Tackling drugs abuse and putting in place a programme that eradicates, rather than manages, the problem is a long term aspiration. But we cannot wait any longer,” she said.

Yesterday all the reports concluded methadone is a good way of stabilising drug users and preventing further harm to society through crime.

More alternatives, such as abstinence programmes or other substitutes such as buprenorphine, are also needed.

A total of £9.08 million was spent on residential detoxification and rehabilitation services in 2005-6.

Drug workers say the recent rise in people taking the opiate is due to more people coming forward for treatment.

But the reports found therapy offered by rehabilitation centres remains more effective.

Just 7 per cent of drug users on a methadone programme are drug free after three years. But around a third of drug users on residential programmes become drug free.

Fergus Ewing, the community safety minister, promised to improve service provision to get people off methadone.

“Methadone must come with genuine rehabilitation to help addicts find a route out of drugs. We need to be more than just a prescription service,” he said.

• THE number of rehabilitation places available to drug-addict mothers who want to stay with their children has been slashed by a third, despite Scottish Executive support for the programme.

Former first minister Jack McConnell praised the rehabilitation service offered by Aberlour Childcare Trust, which offers mothers residential treatment with their children.

The charity used to operate one centre in Edinburgh and two in Glasgow, each catering for up to six families at a time. But Brenda House in the capital has been closed in the past few months.

Edinburgh Council said it would be replaced by more community-based projects, but critics said a range of services were needed.

Bruce Thomson, assistant regional director of Aberlour, said yesterday’s report highlighting the number of children being brought up in methadone-using households supported the need for services aimed at drug-addicted parents. He said: “Working with families affected by parental substance use is not just about tackling the drug use itself, but also reducing risk for children, promoting positive parenting, and working directly with children’s own issues.”