Description

Creche facilities are provided in association with drug treatment services on a limited basis only, at present. In the course of fieldwork carried out by the Drug Misuse Research Division of the Health Research Board a number of important advantages emerged to the provision of such creche facilities for parents who were trying to access treatment for their drug dependence. These had implications for equality of access to treatment for parents (mostly women), quality of treatment, quality of working life for staff in the treatment centres and emotional and educational development of children of drug misusers. Very little research existed which could inform policy and planning in this area. Accordingly a proposal was submitted to the The Policy Planning Research Unit of Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform to explore the provision, usage, advantages and disadvantages of creches in the context of drug treatment in Dublin. In addition to documenting. the status quo in relation to the provision and usage of creches in this context, the study aimed to draw up recommendations which could inform discussions regarding the future planning and development of such creche facilities. The proposal was successful