Drug addicted babies

At long last, someone in authority has recognized the tragic situation of more and more babies being born to mothers hooked on drugs or alcohol.  If the new legislation gets through, the expectant mother will have to sign a Parental Responsibility Contract, forcing them to undergo treatment for the health of their baby.

If they refuse, the state will take the baby the moment it is born.  The new law will also extend to pregnant women who are being bashed by their partner.  They will have two choices - either leave the abuser or attend domestic violence counselling.

Even though this law has been in place for several years, it only applies to a mother after the child is born rather than while it is still in the womb which enabled the mother to keep using drugs up until the birth.  

The new laws are awaiting final approval from Cabinet before they are submitted to Parliament.

A one year old drug-dependent baby called Holley who was removed from her mother is still suffering life-threatening complications and required 24 hour supervision.  She is now recovering in the care of a foster family.  In August, a court ordered that she be placed into long-term adoption though she will continue to have contact with her siblings, who are also in care.

Foster mother Jodie

Bernardos foster mother Jodie 46, has cared for 27 drug addicted babies.  "It's a different cry, it's a heartbreaking cry, you can't describe it but when you hear it, it's not a normal baby cry."

"Their little knees are brought up into their stomach and they are screaming, you can walk the floor for six or seven hours with the baby crying continuously - they are in pain.

When she first started fostering newborns 12 years ago, babies with an addiction were almost non-existent but her last seven babies were all withdrawing from drugs.  She picks them up from hospital, takes them home and begins doses of morphine every four hours. That can continue for up to four months.

"I've had cases where they have infections in their toes and under their armpits from the withdrawals" she said.  "Once they are off the addiction, they become like a normal child, it's very rewarding to see them at the end of it."

Drugs are killing our country.  There is no longer a work ethic in our young and even if there were, the jobs aren't there anymore for unskilled workers, young or old.  So if you are poor and uneducated, there's no point in hoping for a bright future because they isn't going to be one.

The police have admitted they can't stop the ice epidemic, it's now firmly entrenched into our culture, along with alcohol abuse.  And ice is so cheap and addictive, it's frightening.


Ice epidemic could bring nation to its knees
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ice-epidemic-could-bring-nation-to-its-knees-warns-nsw-police-commissioner-andrew-scipione/story-e6freuy9-1227285222295