Approaching parental cannabis use: safeguarding practice guidance for practitioners

Parental substance use, including cannabis, presents complex safeguarding challenges for practitioners working with families across Wiltshire and beyond. When adults use substances in households with children, professionals must carefully assess whether this constitutes a risk of harm, neglect, or exposure to criminal activity, whilst distinguishing between recreational use and dependency that genuinely impacts parenting capacity. Annette Rawstrone raises a crucial practice question about the most effective way to approach families when such concerns arise. Getting this balance right matters: too heavy-handed an approach may breach trust and drive families away from support services, whilst failing to act could leave children exposed to harm. The answer likely lies in clear safeguarding frameworks that allow for honest conversations about how cannabis use affects family functioning, combined with early help offers that address underlying stressors before situations escalate to statutory intervention. This issue sits at the intersection of child protection and family support, requiring practitioners to exercise professional curiosity about the actual impact on children rather than making assumptions based solely on parental behaviour. Training and supervision must equip frontline staff to have these difficult conversations confidently, ensuring that every child's right to safety is protected whilst maintaining the engagement essential for meaningful change.