Young People Specialist Problem Substance Use Treatment Service & Support for Young Carers

LOT 1 Specialist Problem Substance Use Treatment Service (SPSUTS) for Young People under18 years old to provide a range of evidence-based interventions supporting children and young people to stop their problem substance use or to reduce harm related to their problem substance use. This will in turn have an impact on reducing substance related harm in the context of families, friends and the wider community including possible associated crime.

The Service will aim to reduce the harm caused by illegal drugs (and other substances) to individuals their families and the wider community. This will be demonstrated through achieving positive outcomes with respect to drug and alcohol use and improvement in wellbeing of the young person over the period of engagement with the specialist service.

For young people who are Getting More Help and / or Getting Risk Support (help that follows a comprehensive assessment) outcomes are set out in the National Drug Treatment Monitoring Service’s Young People’s Treatment Outcome Record . This will cover:

• Stopping drug / alcohol use OR reduction in amount used AND / OR reduction in frequency of use.
• Improvement in physical and psychological health
• Improvement in social functioning
• Reduction in any offending and criminal involvement

LOT 2 Support for Young Carers, the service aims to achieve improved health and wellbeing, educational outcomes and access pathways to support for our young carers whilst protecting them from inappropriate or excessive care and support to minimise the negative physical and emotional impact of caring. Many young carers experience complexity in their lives through overcrowded housing, social isolation, loneliness and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) particularly problematic substance use by parents, poor parental mental health and parental separation recognizing that each young carer has their own gifts, attributes and strengths.

For practitioners, the service will support them to identify and effectively support young carers in their work e.g. schools, hospital, GPs etc.