The New York Times posted a very interesting article about Meth and how it impacts kids. Take a minute and click on the link to read it.
Besides the very serious issues of neglect and abuse that is associated with drug-using parents and relatives, now kids thrown in those environments have their health threatened because of the toxic chemicals used in the processing of meth and the breathing of fumes when meth is smoked or scattered around the home to be absorbed, breathed or ingested by children of meth users.
As a person’s addiction to meth increases, they become more self-focused and can quickly loose any sense of responsibility to their family and children. In extreme cases, children are offered as a prostitute by a parent or boy/girlfriend to obtain more meth. Oftentimes, the child assumes the role of the parent, isolating themselves from friends and family members to help conceal the growing addiction of the parent. Here’s a link to my previous post on recent meth use information.
It’s a pathetic life for a child. The article gives a number of examples of the increases of out-of-home placement for children as a result of meth usage. The numbers appear to be significant.
Ironically, at a time when there is a growing demand on foster homes and child care placement, Congress is considering eliminating the federal funding to states to assist them with the operation of foster homes. Hopefully cooler heads will prevail and the funding will remain in place.
Kids taken out of a neglect situation or an abusive environment need an immediate place to go that is safe, caring and reassuring. Foster homes meet this need. I know because Ruth and I fostered for a while. We are fortunate in our area to have very caring families who open their homes to children in need to provide them a safe place to be. Kids need to learn that living in filth, being abused, often sexually molested, and eating off the floor is not the norm.
As long as there is a demand for the drug, there are going to be suppliers. The one option we do have right now at least for the safety of our kids is to provide save havens for them to be in time of crisis. I would hope that the ability to maintain quality foster homes won’t fall prey other priorities.