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UW School of Social Work

Supporting Children and Youth Impacted by Parental Substance Use

  • By Winter Miller
  • Published: Jun 25, 2026
  • Duration 3h
    • Credential For Completion

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

  • Define Substance Use Disorders.

  • Identify and communicate common signs and behaviors associated with adult Substance Use Disorder with the caseworker to support the well-being of the child or youth.

  • Recognize how Child Welfare professionals assess circumstances in which parental substance use may directly impact child safety.

  • Discover developmentally appropriate resources for supporting children or youth whose parents live with a substance use disorder.

  • Practice responding constructively to children and youth when they need support in understanding and reframing parental behavior.

Through this course, you will gain a foundational awareness of substance use disorders and the impact on child safety in child welfare cases; recognize common signs and impacts of adult substance use disorders on children and family relationships; and respond in a manner that supports the well-being of the child or youth in your care.

This course will strengthen your understanding of parental substance use while reinforcing the value of nurturing the parent-child relationship and remaining supportive of parents whenever it is safe to do so. You will be better prepared to approach concerns that may be impacted by substance use with clarity, compassion and appropriate boundaries – supporting child safety and well-being while promoting connection, stability and family engagement.

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