Problem drug use and fatherhood

In spite of longstanding concern over the impact that parental problem drug-use may have on the lives of children, very little is currently known about the way in which problem drug-using fathers experience and interpret their parenting roles. This study explores the lived experience of fathering among problem drug-using men and considers the impact that drug addiction may have on how these fathers enact their roles as parents and the relationships that they have with their children. Through qualitative interviewing with a sample of fathers with a history of drug addiction, this research highlights the incompatibility between a problem drug-use career and an active and involved fathering role. However, it also reveals how although many of these men may not be fathering in a practical sense, they would appear to nonetheless hold well-developed notions of what qualifies as good parenting and a desire to better fulfill their role as a father. The findings suggest that greater acknowledgement of fathering issues and of men’s parenting status in the provision of services would be beneficial. Furthermore, engaging with these men as fathers and addressing their parenting issues whilst treating their drug addiction problems could potentially facilitate better, more responsible, involved, and perhaps most importantly drug-free fathering