By Beatrice Tan – RMIT Journalism Intern
Amongst the quiet streets and wide spaces of Melbourne’s western suburbs live children facing impossible barriers at home; parents battling drug addiction.
While their struggles often go unnoticed, local support workers are stepping in to give them a voice and a chance at a childhood filled with safety and hope.
“Children can be impacted in many ways by a parent’s drug use, and these impacts can be seen or unseen,” says program manager of Anglicare Victoria Rodolfo Montes.
“A child can experience chronic stress or mood swings or have knowledge about drugs that is beyond their years.”
Programs like Kids In Focus (KIF), run by a specialist organisation—Odyssey Victoria, aims to break this silence across metropolitan Melbourne.
“We receive funding from the federal government and there’s Kids in Focus programs across Australia,” says Emma Shaw, clinical manager for Odyssey Victoria.
The program supports the whole family, including children, while guiding parents to work on personal goals and improve their wellbeing.
“Part of those goals is […] supporting parents to understand what some of the impacts of their substance use might be, but in a way that’s non-judgmental and trauma-informed and inclusive.”
Children are offered structured routines, educational support, and even fun outings, like trips to the zoo, which help them feel safe and connected.
“It’s a really joyous occasion where we connect together as a community in a really safe space,” Shaw adds.
MacKillop Family Services echoes the need for early, family-centered intervention.
“Children affected by parental substance use often experience emotional distress, anxiety, and confusion,” says Sandra Roldan, a manager from MacKillop Family Services.
“Socially, they may struggle to form trusting relationships or feel isolated due to stigma.”
Roldan stresses the importance of trauma-informed support, safe relationships, and access to community activities that foster resilience. Support workers also tackle stigma head-on.
“There’s quite a lot of stigma out there where people judge parents who use substances and might judge them around thinking, oh, they don’t love their kids,” says Shaw.
“We work from a strength-based approach, listening to children’s voices and supporting parents without judgment.”
Roldan adds, “We avoid judgment and focus on building relationships with both children and their families.”
Economic pressures compound these challenges. Rising living costs make it harder for families to access services and maintain recovery.
“Financial stress can be a major barrier to recovery,” says Roldan.
“Parents may struggle with transport, housing, or even basic needs, which can affect family stability.”
Programs that integrate therapeutic care for children with recovery-focused services for parents are crucial.
Parent support groups like Together We Rise provide safe spaces for connection, offering both practical help and community support across Melbourne.
Yet within the difficulties, hope persists.
“I think what gives me hope is seeing children thrive, that they are getting a good education. That they’re healthy and participating in the life that they enjoy, and that they’re in a space where they are connected to their family as well,” Shaw says.
“Art therapy can be a safe and interactive way for children to process their emotions,” Montes says.
In Melbourne’s west, these quiet heroes – the children and the support workers – are rewriting a narrative once defined by stigma.
Through community, therapy, and connection, children affected by parental drug use are finding their voices, and glimpses of brighter, resilient futures.
