Study finds cost and childcare hamper residential treatment for female addicts in Cork

A survey of 15 women who used addiction services in Cork also found that a fear that their children would be taken into care was a barrier against going for treatment. File picture

A study of women treated for addiction in Cork has found that the financial costs of residential treatment should be reduced, while also highlighting the need for better-resourced community-based services.

The research also found that the associated costs of travel and arranging childcare should also be addressed.

The How Women Experience Addiction Services in Cork study was conducted by University College Cork's (UCC) James Windle and Joan Cronin.

It found that the lack of women-only services for addicts “means that women can either enter male-dominated spaces or search for less available women-only spaces.” It said this issue “presents additional costs on women’s time and resources”.

A survey of 15 women who used addiction services in Cork also found that a fear that their children would be taken into care was a barrier against going for treatment.

Seven of those surveyed had children between one and four years old. Two of the respondents noted that aftercare following treatment can be difficult because of having to struggle with childcare.

The report said: “Ms N suggested all services provide childcare and are built around the school day so parents can drop children to school and collect them. She stressed that this needed to apply to all services, rather than just services for women, so men can care for their children. 

"Ms K felt that being a mother in recovery could be lonely and mothers needed support to build pro-recovery networks.” 

While only three women explicitly recommended childcare, it was common for participants to recall the difficulties of scheduling residential treatment and aftercare around caring responsibilities, it said.

"This required the support of networks of friends and family that not all have.” 

The report said that Ireland is still a country where the majority of housework and childcare is done by women, who also are “less likely to work than men and receive lower wages”.

It elaborated: “This means that men have more time and resources for recovery.” 

Among its recommendations was that “all community-based treatment should be timed around the school day, so both men and women can care for children”. It added: “All parents need options for childcare support.”