Five babies a month in city born addicted to heroin

THE number of babies born addicted to heroin in Edinburgh has soared, with five a month now taken from the maternity ward straight into care.

New figures released by the city council show the number of vulnerable babies taken away from their parents has doubled in the space of a year to 99.

Of those, 66 were born with an addiction to drugs or alcohol – the vast majority of which suffered heroin withdrawal – and 60 were referred for foster placement before they were even born.

The news comes as an Audit Scotland investigation today claimed the level of drug and alcohol misuse in Scotland is among the highest in Europe and getting worse, in contrast with other countries which are reducing the harm caused by substance abuse.

The massive increase has led to a crisis in the city’s fostering service, with city leaders today launching a new appeal for carers.

Councillor Marilyne MacLaren, children and families leader, is also calling for extra resources from the Scottish Government to allow its “stretched” social work department to deal with the increased number of cases.

She said: “The increasing number of cases means that social workers are stretched and services can’t be sustained or improved without adequate investment.

“It’s a vicious cycle – if we don’t have the resources to tackle the problem at its source then we will see more vulnerable babies.

“I’ll be approaching the Scottish Government to ask them to revisit the issue and to take action.”

Babies born addicted to heroin often have to undergo a morphine programme before being released to foster parents and those suffering from Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) are generally more difficult to look after. The authority puts the rise down to an increase in babies being born to addict parents as opposed to more robust procedures, despite the fact social workers in Edinburgh report more suspected cases of child neglect and abuse in the Capital than anywhere else in Scotland.

Around 40 babies were born with NAS four years ago.

City leaders are now launching a training DVD to support people who look after vulnerable babies and give advice to those considering becoming a foster parent.

The appeal for new foster carers to look after vulnerable babies and those born with addictions is being launched today at the Filmhouse on Lothian Road, where the DVD will be shown.

Cllr MacLaren added: “The city’s foster carers are dedicated people but the problem we have is that there aren’t enough carers to meet the growing demand.”

‘It is hard and upsetting to see’

RUTH ROBERTSON, from Mortonhall, knows only too well how difficult babies with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) are to handle after looking after eight over the past 12 years.

She says they cry more often, find it difficult to feed, don’t settle well, suffer stomach cramps and can also have sore arms and legs as a result of being addicted to drugs like heroin when they are born.

It takes around four months for them to stop suffering the effects.

Mrs Robertson, 55, who is a midwife, said: “A lot of the time you worry that you’re doing something wrong, but you aren’t, it’s just how the baby is until it loses the NAS.

“It is hard and upsetting to see but you just have to keep going.”