Risk of harm to children can be reduced by effective treatment and support for the affected parent/s, however it is becoming more widely accepted that to make real and long lasting change in parental substance misuse, and make these families safer and healthier for children, it is essential to offer a package of care that is holistic and family focused. CoreKids has been developed in line with this view, and therefore our service can work with any combination of family members.

Research from our CoreKids Marylebone project has shown that our family-focused approach has the following benefits:

-Better relationships and improved communication throughout the family

-Parents able to set more appropriate boundaries and model healthier behaviour with their children

-A improved sense of safety and emotional wellbeing experienced by children

-Lasting changes to substance use, with many parents achieving greater stability or long-term abstinence

-Parents report significant improvements in practical and emotional parenting skills

-Improvements outside of the family system, e.g. social networks expanded; and more consistent attendance and achievement at school