In five focus groups involving 23 mothers with substance use disorder, researchers explored views on child well-being, parenting, harm reduction, and child protective services. Mothers acknowledged that substance use could affect supervision and emotional support, described efforts to reduce harm, and reported limited knowledge of naloxone for accidental ingestion by children. Participants also emphasized that child safety is more nuanced than a simple safe-or-unsafe judgment and called for transparency when clinicians make mandated reports. The findings support family-centered, nonjudgmental communication and practical harm-reduction education.
