Alcohol-related child maltreatment

Abstract

Aim: To increase understanding of alcohol-related child maltreatment on the basis of child protection cases in Lithuania. The study is based on a document content analysis of 203 case records of families at social risk. It identifies the prevalence of alcohol-related harm by analysing associations between types of drinkers and child maltreatment. It also maps the distribution of people who typically report this maltreatment. Both qualitative and quantitative analytical approaches are employed. Results: Child neglect was the most prevalent type of child maltreatment and was usually reported together with other types of child maltreatment. Child maltreatment was typically mentioned in the context of a caregiver's heavy drinking. In 85.7% (174) of the cases, the family had at least one problem drinker. More than one problem drinker was detected in as many as a third of all cases. At least one form of child maltreatment was detected in families with a drinking mother in 60% of the cases (w 2 ¼ 4.825, p < 0.05), with a drinking father in 36% of the cases (p > 0.05), and in 15% of the cases (p > 0.05) when there was a drinking partner in the family. The most common source of reporting by the authorities was the police (26.6%), and the most typical non-official source was the child's relatives (16.3%). Conclusions: Alcoholrelated child maltreatment needs special attention if issues of child safety in Lithuania are to be disclosed, evaluated, and responded to. Further research on this topic is needed.

Problematisation of Parental Alcohol Abuse Related Harm to Children: The Results of Professionals’ Response

“…Parental alcohol abuse is a major cause of children being deprived of parental care, becoming victims of violence, or engaging in early and risky consumption of alcohol (Guščinskienė, Kondrotaitė, 2006;Laslett et al, 2012;Laslett, Dietze, Room, 2013;Midttun, 2017;Tamutienė, 2018;Laslet et al, 2020). In their daily work, child protection and welfare professionals (CPWPs) from different fields often deal with PAHCh and must then assess the need for assistance and provide services to children.…”

“…This rate remains the highest among 19 European countries (Tamutienė et al, 2022). Problematic alcohol use is a major contributor to child neglect and abuse in our culture (Tamutienė, 2018). It should be noted that 76 % of all violations of the child's rights occur due to intoxication of the child's legal representative from alcohol and/or drugs, psychotropic or other psychoactive substances, and inability to take proper care of the child (Valstybės vaiko teisių apsaugos ir įvaikinimo tarnybos veiklos ataskaita, 2022).…”