It is obvious that grandparents tend to experience joy when they are able to spend time with the children of their own sons or daughters. In certain situations, however, child custody is given to grandparents in Alabama and elsewhere when parents have been deemed incapable of caring for their own children. Many of these cases involve parental substance abuse.

A recent radio program included the interview of a woman who, with her husband, had her daughter involuntarily committed for opiate addiction. The couple then took their two grandchildren into their custodial care. Reports indicate that this is becoming a common occurrence throughout the nation. One state mentioned provides a support group for grandparents facing similar circumstances.

Many of the grandparents have stated that they believed their grandchildren were in immediate danger due to their own son’s or daughter’s opiate addictions. Some of these couples have reported taking on second mortgages in order to sustain themselves while raising their grandchildren. In decades past, data suggests that many grandparents were put into similar positions of raising grandchildren when the children’s parents or parents had alcohol-related problems. As time went on, substance abuse of cocaine became more frequent; now, heroin and other opiates are common forms of addiction.

In some cases, parents resume custody of their children after successfully completing mandated treatment and rehabilitation programs. Any grandparent in Alabama facing similar issues might want to discuss his or her case with a legal professional who has experience in matters of family law. Doing so could provide clarification on the regulations and laws of the state regarding grandparents attaining child custody when they believe their grandchildren are in danger or being neglected due to a parent’s drug addiction.