The Fathers house

What would you do if you found out your teenage child was taking heroin?

Would you feel let down, overcome with worry, ashamed or angry?

It's hard to tell until it happens to you but it's good to hear about parents who found a way to live with their child's addiction. This is the story of four dads; John, Jimmy, Paul and Mousey, who did just that.

Each of the fathers has a unique story. They come from a variety of scoioeconomic backgrounds. They each dealt with the addiction and the hurt it caused in their own way.

The journey begins when they first become aware that their child has a drug problem. For example, although Mousey had been told by a friend, he didn't believe it until he 'came home from work and saw her heating the drugs on a spoon' near the family home. The difficulties this presented for these men as fathers should not be underestimated. They all went on to experience isolation, they all talk about neglecting the non-drug-using children in the home, most of them had marital problems. They felt helpless in the face of what Paul describes as an 'unwinnable battle'.

The story takes a turn when they each find support outside the home to deal with the chaos inside. This comes in the form of the 'Fathers of Addicts Support Group' facilitated by Derek Jennings.

In the documentary, Derek explains that none of the men came seeking help for themselves but rather they came in search of help for their child and it had to be suggested to them that they may need support. Over time, the group becomes their safety valve and somehow allows them to frame their child's addiction in such a way that they can lead their lives.

Then in June 2005, through their involvement in the mens support group, the men take part in a piece of drama based upon their own experiences. The play is called 'Men at Work' and it continues to be performed at community centres all over the country in the hope that even one father in the audience will see that 'men have feelings too' and seek help.

For more information about the Father's Support Group or the 'Men at Work' play you can contact Community Response at 01 4549772 or Derek Jennings at 0861567653.

Produced by Susan Dennehy

Production Supervision by Peter Woods

First broadcast Nov 14th 2009.

An Irish radio documentary from RTÉ Radio 1, Ireland - Documentary on One - the home of Irish radio documentaries