Maternal substance abuse: protecting the child, preserving the family

Maternal substance abuse has sparked an intense debate among child welfare practitioners and policymakers. At issue is how best to work effectively with substance-abusing mothers while protecting children from harm that might result from the parents' addiction and preserving a family in which the child can be reared. This article evaluates the scope of the problem, its impact on the delivery of child welfare services, and implications for service provision.