Programme successfully targets pregnant drug addicts

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by Change | 14 Jun 2010

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A Fife scheme is successfully treating pregnant women in need of drug addiction support.

As many as 60,000 Scottish children have either a mother or father in need of drug addiction support, something an initiative in Fife is attempting to target.

The Vulnerable in Pregnancy scheme, which was established by health and social workers in the region, aims to curb drug addiction in pregnant women before their child is delivered, the BBC reports.

Managed by NHS Fife and Fife Council, the programme has helped in excess of 600 women since its establishment ten years ago.

Founder Joyce Leggate, of NHS Fife, said its greatest success had been a reduced number of babies being born to parents battling drug addiction.

"They don't want their babies to be born with a heroin addiction or a drug addiction and they are rightly afraid their children could be removed from their care if they don't get themselves sorted out," she told the news provider.

"So we are able to capitalise on that motivation."

Earlier this month, Murdo Fraser, Mid-Scotland and Fife representative, told stv that it is "important" for heroin substitutes to be provided in prisons, provided that taxpayers' money is "well spent".

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