Family Drug and Alcohol Court’s ‘humane’ approach keeps more families together

New research has found that mothers reunited with their children after care proceedings in the Family Drug and Alcohol Court (FDAC) are more likely to stay off drugs and alcohol for longer and their family life less likely to be disrupted when compared with cases heard in ordinary care proceedings. Over 5 years, researchers followed up cases that had been through the London FDAC and compared them with similar cases going through ordinary care proceedings. A linked study also found the FDAC model is being followed successfully in a growing number of courts and judges are keen to extend it further. As a result, the researchers say the London FDAC, the first in the country, has reduced the number of children taken into care because of parental substance misuse compared with those in ordinary care proceedings. To build on this success, the researchers highlight the need for greater support for family reunification after care proceedings finish and for health and adult services to contribute to funding FDAC alongside children's services. The first study, which compared FDAC cases with similar cases heard in ordinary care proceedings, found that: A significantly higher proportion of FDAC mothers were reunited with their children at the end of proceedings (37% v 25%) Experienced significantly less family disruption post reunification (a combination of relapse, permanent placement change or return to court) over a 3 year period after proceedings ended (51% v 22%) The study also found that significantly more mothers who went through FDAC: Stopped misusing substances at the end of proceedings (46% v 30%).