If you lost child custody due to drug addiction, you can get it back after undergoing rehabilitation treatment. You just need to prove to the court that you are now a better parent than you were before. Here are a few things you will need to do:  

Prove That You Completed the Treatment

The first thing you need to do is to complete a rehabilitation treatment, and prove it to the court. There is no way you will be getting custody of the kids if you are still abusing drugs, and rehabilitation is the best way to stop drug abuse. Your rehabilitation must have been offered by a government-approved center for it to be considered by the court.

Take Parenting Classes

There is a general perception that parents who abuse drugs are bad parents to their kids, and this is mostly true. It is not that these parents set out deliberately to sabotage their children's lives, but the effects of the drugs may make one ignore their kid's needs. Therefore, take some parenting classes to convince the court that you are intent on becoming a good parent for your kids.

Prove That You Haven't Relapsed

Getting rehabilitation treatment is one thing, living a drug-free life after that is a different issue altogether; many addicts go back to their abusive ways after getting discharged. Therefore, you will need to prove to the court that you have been drug-free since getting discharged. You may be required to undergo periodic checkups to confirm that you are drug-free.

Keep Your House Livable

Some people get into drugs so much that they don't seem to care about other aspects of their lives. For example, a serious drug addict can neglect their house and end up with leaking roofs, mold in the house or even unkempt yards. Granted, this is an extreme case of drug abuse, but if your life took such an unfortunate turn during your drug-abusing days, you will have to improve the house and make it livable to have any chance of getting your child's custody.

Get Involved in the Child's Life      

Lastly, you also need to show interest in your child's life to improve your chances of getting custody. Merely proving that you are drug-free isn't enough. After all, the court isn't making the custody decision for you; any custody decision made is for the benefit of the child. This means you should be in a position to improve the child's well-being.

For more information, contact companies like Scott Lyons Attorney at Law.

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