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Green light for drug court
Pilot scheme proves a success in protecting children with addicted parents
A SPECIAL court being set up in Westminster will protect the children of drug addicts and alcoholics.
The Drug and Alcohol Court will have a specially trained judge with the power to decide over custody of children born to drug abusers.
The court will help speed up the process by which social services take the child out of the parent’s care.
A substance misuse expert then carries out a full assessment of the parent’s problems.
The council believes the scheme will help reunite more children with their parents and social services say the court is crucial because the current justice system is failing children born to drug users.
The court last year piloted at Inner London Family Court in Wells Street, Fitzrovia.
The pilot found more than 50 per cent of teenagers arrested for drugs offences had addicts for parents.
Nicholas Crichton, district judge at the Wells Street Court, said 75 per cent of child contact cases could avoid contested hearings under the new system.
He said: “We do not have an opportunity to advise parents until there is a hearing. That can be too late. Some parents are so caught up in acrimony that they lose sight of the children’s need to see plenty of both parents.”
Leader of Westminster Council Simon Milton announced plans to introduce the court in his annual budget speech.
He said: “We wish to do more to tackle the appalling impact of drugs on young people. So we’ll be launching a project to deliver a Family Drug and Alcohol Court that will focus on early intervention with kids in order to prevent future behavioural problems.”
A council spokesman yesterday (Thursday) said project organisers are now waiting for the greenlight for funding from the government.
Camden and Islington boroughs are also backing the scheme.
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