Useful organisations
General
Alcohol Change UK
The national organisation campaigning for effective alcohol policy and improved services for people whose lives are affected by alcohol-related problems.
Dan 24/7
Free and confidential telephone helpline for anyone in Wales wanting further information or help relating to drugs or alcohol, including families and carers. Phone 0808 808 2234 anytime day or night and they will give you help and advice.
Drink and Drug News (DDN)
Monthly magazine with news, updates and features from across the substance use field. Also produces their rehab guide, a free resource proving information on addiction treatment options.
Drinkline
Advice to those worried about their own, or a loved one’s, alcohol use. Contact their free helpline on 0300 123 1110 (weekdays 9am – 8pm, weekends 11am – 4pm).
Drugsand.me
Drugsand.me is a social enterprise providing accessible and comprehensive drug education interventions to reduce drug-related harm. Parents’ page has a range of advice for parents and carers on how to tackle conversations with kids about drugs, useful links and a downloadable version of their toolkit.
DrugScience
DrugScience is an independent, science-led drugs charity, bringing together leading drugs experts from a wide range of specialisms to carry out ground-breaking original research into drug harms and effects.
DrugWise
Formerly DrugScope, DrugWise provides access to evidence-based drug, alcohol and tobacco information and resources, including an international knowledge hub.
FRANK
National drug information service with factfiles and FAQs.
NHS Alcohol Support
Includes information on alcoholism, binge drinking and caring for someone with an alcohol problem.
Release
Organisation providing free legal advice on drug issues, and a helpline – 020 7342 2989.
Parents and families
Al-Anon
Al-Anon family groups provide support to anyone who is, or has been, affected by someone else’s drinking.
Co-Dependants Anonymous
A set of informal self-help groups made up of people with a common interest in working through the problems that co-dependency has caused in their lives.
Re-Solv
Providing online support and counselling for anyone whose life is affected by volatile substance abuse (‘solvent abuse’), including family members and friends.
DrugFAM
Are you affected by someone else’s drug or alcohol addiction? Are you bereaved through drug or alcohol use? Contact their free helpline from 9am-9pm, 7 days a week on 0300 888 3853.
Family Lives
Provides help and support for anyone caring for a child.
Family Support Link (FSL)
A charity based in Northamptonshire, which has been providing support for families affected by someone else’s drug or alcohol use across the county since 2003.
They provide 1:1 support, a telephone helpline, group and peer support to families and friends from the age of 5 years upwards, harmed by someone else’s use of substances, as well as providing education and building understanding across agencies and communities.
Welcome To FSL (familysupportlink.co.uk) / contactus@family-supportlink.co.uk
General enquiries – 01933 224632
Support Line – 01933 227078
Families Anonymous
Support for families and friends concerned about drug abuse or related behavioural problems.
OnlyDads
A national social enterprise that supports parents who are looking to make the best decisions for their family during separation and divorce.
OnlyMums
A national social enterprise that supports parents who are looking to make the best decisions for their family during separation and divorce.
The Icarus Trust
Provide a ‘Family & Friends’ service. A trained volunteer will provide information and support via email and signpost you to local services.
Relate
Offer advice and relationship counselling for couples, and also provides advice for parents and other family members to help families deal with difficult times.
Scottish Families Affected by Drugs
Work to improve support for families affected by substance use throughout Scotland.
YoungMinds
A children and young people’s mental health charity. They have a Parents Helpline Team that offers information, advice and support to any parent/carer who is worried about their child’s mental health or emotional wellbeing (up to the age of 25).
Talk About Alcohol
www.talkaboutalcohol.com is written and managed by a charity called The Alcohol Education Trust (AET). The talkaboutalcohol.com site is designed to be used by young people in a classroom setting as part of PSHE lessons on alcohol.
Grandparents and kinship carers
Kinship
The national charity which champions the vital role of grandparents, especially when they take on the caring role in difficult family circumstances.
Family Rights Group
Advice for parents and other family members whose children are involved with, or require, social services.
The National Care-line
A voluntary organisation providing information about care and support for older people, their carers and families.
Children and Young People
Alateen
Run mutual support groups for teenage relatives and friends of alcoholics. Alateen is part of Al-Anon.
NACOA (National Association for the Children of Alcoholics)
Works to address the needs of children growing up in families where one or both parents suffer from alcoholism.
Nip in the Bud
Provides films and practical approaches to help parents, teachers, social care staff and others with early recognition of potential mental health conditions in children.
BAME
No More Pretending
Support and advice for Punjabi families who struggle with alcohol use and are seeking help for themselves or a loved one
Criminal Justice
Offenders’ Families Helpline
The free and confidential national helpline for families of offenders, providing information and advice on all aspects of the criminal justice system.
Release
Release is the national centre of expertise on drugs and drugs law. They provide free, non-judgmental, specialist advice and information to the public and professionals on issues related to drug use and to drug laws.
Domestic Violence
Agenda Alliance
Advocates for change for women and girls at risk.
National Centre for Domestic Violence (NCDV)
Provides a free, fast emergency injunction service to survivors of domestic violence regardless of their financial circumstances, race, gender or sexual orientation.
Refuge
Provide domestic violence advice and helpline for women and children.
Respect
The national organisation for professionals working with people to end their abusive behaviour.
Women’s Aid
Women’s Aid is the national charity working to end domestic violence against women and children and supports a network of over 500 services across the UK.
Bereavement
Child Bereavement UK
Supports families and educates professionals when a baby or child of any age dies or is dying, or when a child is facing bereavement.
Childhood Bereavement Network
The hub for those working with bereaved children, young people and their families across the UK.
Cruse Bereavement Care
Exist to promote the wellbeing of all bereaved people and to enable them to understand their grief and cope with their loss.
Cruse have a section on their website which provides information on drug and alcohol related bereavement.
Suicide & Co
Supporting people that have been bereaved through suicide. Support on offer includes a counselling service and a telephone helpline.
The Compassionate Friends (TCF)
Provide support to any parent whose child has died. They offer a helpline, an online forum, legal advice and befriending services. They also run a service for bereaved siblings.
The Good Grief Trust
Bereavement support charity with over over 600 local, regional and national bereavement support services listed on their central database of support for those bereaved across the UK.
Widowed and Young (WAY)
Offer support to anyone under 50 who has lost their partner. This may take the form of peer support, practical advice, meet-ups and more.
Winston’s Wish
A national charity that supports bereaved children and young people after the death of a significant person. Offer practical bereavement support and guidance to bereaved children and young people up to the age of 25, their families, and the professionals supporting them