AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To understand the experiences of @entity1 with a history of @entity734 when they attempted to gain parenting support. BACKGROUND: Becoming a mother provides a window of opportunity to support @entity1 with a @entity734 make changes to their lives and the way they will parent their @entity1 and young @entity1 . Yet there are many barriers and a constant fear of the removal of their @entity1 from their care. DESIGN: Focus groups were conducted using a qualitative interpretive descriptive approach to enable exploration of the @entity1 's experiences as mothers with @entity1 and young @entity1 . METHOD: A series of three focus groups were facilitated with three to six @entity1 per group. Thirteen @entity1 who were substance dependent participated in this study. Semi-structured interviews guided the collection of data. Thematic content analysis was used to work with the data. RESULTS: Four themes were identified: (1) feelings of guilt, (2) judged by others, (3) normalising and (4) support and learning to be a mother. CONCLUSION: The mothers expressed alienation from mainstream health services. Providing parenting and @entity1 health services, which avoid mothers feeling judged by the staff and other mothers, is an important step to enabling these @entity1 to appropriately and sensitively care for their @entity1 and young @entity1 . RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Midwives and nurses working with mothers and their @entity1 and young @entity1 are well positioned to support @entity1 who are or have experienced @entity734 . Working with this group of mothers requires the development of a therapeutic relationship to provide optimum support, education and, if necessary, intervention.

Experiences of mothers with XXXX : Informing the development of parenting support.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['women', 'children', 'infants', 'child'] @entity734 :: ('MESH:D019966', 'Disease') :: ['substance dependence']
@entity734 :: (MESH:D019966,Disease) :: ['substance dependence']
