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Interventions to break the cycle of harm resulting from parental substance misuse
A one-day seminar to consider research findings, policy implications, and practical initiatives which seek to reduce the impact of parental drug and alcohol misuse on children, and the extent to which children of such parents are themselves more likely to be substance misusers
Wednesday, 28 April 2010
Central Nottingham
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Purpose of the seminar
It is now accepted that early interventions where there is parental substance misuse can have very positive outcomes in reducing harm, and that such interventions will become increasingly important - and will be linked with reducing child poverty, improving the health of young people, and reducing their contact with the criminal justice system.
In November 2009 the Department for Children, Schools and Families announced further funding for a range of measures to support at risk children. Child Poverty Family Intervention Projects will build on the existing network of Family Intervention Projects and – together with the Parenting Early Intervention Programme and more parenting experts - will provide intensive parenting and family support. One of the main target groups is the children of parents who are misusing drugs and alcohol, and who are at risk from a range of problems.
Not every child with a parent who misuses drugs or alcohol will go on to misuse substances him or herself. However, a cycle of addiction is identifiable, and it is more likely that children will go on to misuse drugs and alcohol if one of their parents has done so. The cycle of addiction is compounded by other damaging cycles - perpetuation of domestic violence, poor parenting, and poor educational attainment leading to continuing poverty.
Early interventions to break these cycles are essential, and these work most effectively where services are joined up. There are a number of interventions targeted at families where drug and alcohol misuse exists which have demonstrated success and which offer resources and modals of good practice for others. Three such projects are featured at this seminar.
It is also an appropriate stage at which to consider the lessons which can be learnt from current practice relating to better development of future services. In many areas, substance misuse treatment services are not working closely enough with family services, and adult services are not joining up sufficiently with children’s services. ‘Think Family’ approaches may also need to be modified where domestic violence is a factor. Since domestic violence is present in a majority of cases where there is parental substance misuse, increased screening and approaches to protect the abused parent and children need to be carefully considered.
This seminar will:
- Bring together practitioners, strategic service managers and commissioners, and policy planners from a wide range of services which work with substance misuse, children and families
- Consider the nature of the links between parental substance misuse and subsequent poor outcomes (including next generation substance misuse) for children
- Review the progress of measures to support parents to be better parents and to protect children from the harm caused as a result of parental drug and alcohol misuse
- Look at where improvements in service delivery can be made
- Consider the impact of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome on children, and consider how assessments of children should take account of this
- Hear from three different types of intervention initiatives whose work focuses upon reducing harm for children in families where there is substance misuse
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Who should attend
- Family interventions, parenting advisers, and professionals who work with families where there is substance misuse
- Drug and Alcohol Action Teams
- Children and families social workers
- Sure Start/Children’s Centres
- Midwives, Health Visitors and other community health service providers
- Community Drug Services and drug projects
- Youth Offending Teams
- Projects supporting Young Carers
- Commissioners of young people’s and drug services
- Probation officers
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Agenda
> Download the agenda here...
Speakers
- Sheena Prentice, Substance Misuse Midwife, Nottingham City PCT: and National Coordinator, Substance Misuse Midwives Network
- Lorna Templeton, University of Bath
- Emma Gulliver, M-PACT UK Project Manager, Action on Addiction - Families Plus
- Alison McCormick, Social Work Consultant, FASaware UK
- Anne Delargy, PArenting and Alcohol Project, Alcohol Concern
- Anna-Joy Rickard, Coordinator, STARs National Initiative
- Alex Leek, Think Family Intervention Manager, Blackpool City Council
- Jane Wright, Manager, Breaking the Cycle (Derby), Addaction
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Delegate fee
Standard rate: £150 + VAT
Reduced rate: £125 + VAT
(Small charities with less than 10 employees)
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To make a booking
This Seminar is now closed
Confirmation of your booking
Your booking will be acknowledged in writing, and we will provide you with directions and details of local hotels. If you do not receive such acknowledgement, please contact Central Conference Consultants Ltd on 0115 916 3104.
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Projects
Blackpool Family Intervention Project (Substance Misuse)
Embracing a group of initiatives under the name of Springboard, Blackpool’s FIP has successfully changed the way services are delivered to Blackpool’s most complex families. Significant improvements have been made in educational attainment, tenancy and behaviour, as well as reducing crime and family breakdowns.
An important feature of Blackpool’s FIP initiatives which target substance misusing parents is the relationship developed with other services, in particular Adult Treatment Services and Children’s Centres.
Their two pilot projects are:
“Baby FIP” (Youth Crime Action Plan): this intervention focuses upon families where there is parental drug or alcohol misuse and at least one of the children is under five years old. This picks up on the 10-Year Drug Strategy’s whole family approach and also on child development milestones with the aim of raising attainment and ECM outcomes.
Family Prescribing Pilot: a prescribing service is offered from Children’s Centres so that drug using parents are encouraged to embrace the facilities which the Centres offer. They are supported by Children’s Centre workers who offer a highly structured approach to working with these parents and children.
STARs National Initiative
The Children's Society STARS National Initiative is a hub of information, support and guidance on parental drug or alcohol misuse, and the impact it has upon children and families.
It hosts this website, provides resources, runs events, offers support for practitioners, and promotes the voices of children and young people on this issue. It also seeks to influence policy and practise, and undertakes training and consultancy work.
It's overall aim is to promote the rights and needs of children and young people affected by the substance misuse of a parent/career, in order that they will achieve their full potential, have access to consistent and effective support which reflects diverse needs, and influence policy and future practice development with their voices.
The initiative has 6 key elements:
- To enable the voices of children and young people affected by parental drug and alcohol misuse to be heard.
- To ensure the representation of children and young people who have been underrepresented in this field.
- To assist in increasing the capacity of all those working with children and young people and families where there is parental drug and alcohol abuse to recognise and respond to these needs.
- To understand and share information on existing provision and support.
- To inform and shape the development of policy and practice around the support for children and young people affected by the drug and alcohol misuse of a parent or carer.
- To campaign and raise awareness on the rights and needs of children and young people affected by parental substance misuse, drawing on current knowledge and expertise and to promote that as good practice.
For further information go to www.starsnationalinitiative.org.uk
Breaking the Cycle
The aim of Breaking the Cycle is to improve the quality of life for the whole family.
Project workers provide an individually designed care-package, which takes into account the needs of the whole family. This care package includes a wide range of proven techniques to help people overcome their problems (such as personal counselling, advocacy - or help with accessing other services, such as housing associations or health clinics. They work closely with such local agencies, and find it helps to achieve a long-lasting change for the family in question). And where it’s in the best interests of the family, Addaction’s Breaking the Cycle programme works hard to keep that family together.
Since its three pilot projects began working in 2005 in Derby, Cumbria and Tower Hamlets, they have worked with hundreds of family members with the following profiles:
- half of the children helped were young - aged between one and seven years old
- about 80% of the parents helped were mothers
- one third of the parents were mainly using heroin and one third were mainly using alcohol
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