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It needn’t be said, but we are clearly living through a time of great challenge, and great change, both of which require huge efforts of adjustment on everyone’s part.

We are confined to the so-called safety of our own homes; but homes are not always the safest place for families affected by drug or alcohol misuse; there may be increased conflict between couples if, for example, drinking levels increase; more stress and tension in drug using households, and greater levels of domestic violence. Children may be particularly at risk.

One specific issue is that of the safe storage of opioid substitution treatments. Our report: Medications in Drug Treatment: Tackling the Risks to Children, is now some 5 years old, but the findings of our research, and the recommendations for practitioners, are still relevant, and particularly so in the current climate.

OST is an extremely valuable tool in the fight against drug dependency, and Adfam has always been clear that the evidence base supports its part in our treatment system. The overwhelming majority of the people who need and use OST do so safely. However, we also must recognise that the drugs used – especially methadone – are toxic, powerful and a clear danger to children when stored or used incorrectly by their parents and carers. Our research found that between 2003 and 2013, there were 20 Serious Case Reviews which implicated OST drugs. These reviews involved 23 children, of whom 17 died.

We made a series of recommendations, highlighting the prominent role for pharmacists, health visitors, social workers, drug treatment workers and the police in safeguarding children from the risks of OST ingestion. We called for the need for all concerned to review or develop the guidance for pharmacists and specialist workers who are prescribing drugs for adults who care for children or live in the same household as children. We stressed the need for more training for all practitioners coming across drug using families and for all staff to ensure that their assessments of these families included issues relating to safe use and storage of drug equipment and substances. And we made the case for national provision of free, lockable boxes for the storage of OST medications — Including safe disposal messages and clear warnings on the fatal risks of administering OST drugs to children.

You can find out more about our work on opioid Substitution Treatment and risks to children on our website, or download our reports below:

• Medications in drug treatment: Tackling the risks to children (2014)

• Medications in drug treatment: Tackling the risks to children - one year on (2015)

• Opioid Substitute Treatment (OST) and risks to children: Good Practice Guide (2018)

We also designed a training course for local authorities look at how relevant agencies can work together to create a joint plan for working together to safeguard local children from OST.

We now know from our latest research with YouGov (pdf) that almost 1 in 3 adults in the UK have been negatively affected by the substance use of someone they know*. That’s a staggering figure, especially when we consider the huge range of harms we know can result: mental health problems, violence/abuse, relationship difficulties, financial strain, isolation and stigma.

That’s why Adfam is launching our new manifesto, setting out 5 key points we’d like to see the Government address to diminish these harms and provide families with the opportunity to thrive. We know they’re ambitious, and rightly so. These families are currently sorely neglected in policy and provision; a significant proportion of the population who are hidden in plain sight and often suffer in silence.

1. Funding must be made available for every Local Authority to provide dedicated support services for those affected by a loved one’s substance misuse.

Current provision is very patchy. Effective support in every local area will enable families to improve their health and wellbeing, stay in work, participate in society and build and maintain positive relationships.

2. Family members who assume roles as kinship carers should be supported financially to ensure they are able to fulfil their responsibilities without fear of entering poverty.

Research by Grandparents Plus has found that 50% of children living in kinship care do so due to parental substance misuse. Kinship carers must be given the same rights and benefits as foster carers to give them the financial support they desperately need and to safeguard the emotional wellbeing of them and the children in their care.

3. Money should be ring-fenced for children’s social care services to identify and provide ongoing support for children affected by parental substance misuse to ensure they are given opportunities to recover and thrive.

These children can experience neglect, physical and emotional abuse which often leads to more serious mental health problems and other negative outcomes in the future. More funding will enable children’s social care services to better identify these children and give them the support they need.

4. Central Government money should be made available to start a national conversation to improve public understanding on the impact of substance misuse on others and tackle stigmatising attitudes.

Two million adults in the UK have experienced stigma or judgment as a result of a loved one’s substance use* and this can be a barrier to them speaking out or seeking support. A national conversation is needed to change the public’s understanding and recognition of this issue.

5. The Health and Social Care Select Committee should launch a public enquiry into how substance misuse contributes towards mental ill-health and poverty in families.

5.7 million adults in the UK have experienced mental health problems such as anxiety or depression*, whilst 2.8 million have experienced financial impacts such as debt as a result of someone else’s substance use*. The Government needs to take action to understand how substance use contributes to a wide range of harms to families.

Over the coming months we’ll be taking our manifesto to Parliamentarians, seeking their support in turning these recommendations into practice.

You can download the manifesto on our website or pick up a copy at our Conference in December.

*Adfam/YouGov 2019 (pdf)

This article was originally written for the November edition of DDN magazine: https://drinkanddrugsnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/DDN-November-2019.pdf

This blog was originally written for the Alcohol Change UK website: https://alcoholchange.org.uk/blog/2019/helping-young-people-affected-by-substance-misuse-to-share-their-stories-through-film

Syeda Hussain worked with young people affected by a loved one with substance misuse problems to process their thoughts and feelings through film.

Syeda Hussain is a Family Support Coordinator for the Newham Building Family Recovery project. As well as supporting young people she also works with adult family carers, emotionally supporting them on a one to one basis, and organises monthly health and well-being workshops for carers. Syeda has recently launched a pilot parenting course called ‘Strengthening Families Together’ supporting parents in recovery around hidden harm, safeguarding, and communication skills.

I have been working with young people as part of the Newham Building Family Recovery project, funded by the National Lottery Community Fund, for over a year now, and it’s always really special when we have something to celebrate. Our recent video project, funded by Alcohol Change UK and in partnership with the brilliant Salmagundi Films, was definitely one of these.

At our screening in February, six young people showcased their brand-new films to more than 50 attendees. You can watch the movie on our website. 

Our weekly youth club encourages young people who have a family member, friend or acquaintance with substance misuse problems (either present or historic) to express themselves in creative ways. Young people were either referred to the project or we met them through the treatment service’s youth zone.

At the start of the project many members of the group either didn’t know how or felt hesitant to share how they were feeling, or to explain issues they were facing.

Formal discussions tend to make people more cautious, but being creative can really encourage young people to express themselves more naturally. Our creative workshops helped our young people to become more confident, expressive and honest – at times extremely so! Creativity can also support young people who were affected by a loved one’s substance misuse to identify this, where they might previously have been unaware, desensitised to the issues, or normalising their situation.

‘Substance misuse’ was a label which many of our group did not relate to, and over a number of weeks we used different ways to explore why this was, as well as discussing different issues young people felt strongly about such as racism, unisex toilets, and not feeling heard. People shared their views with one another, and occasionally debated. 

The group all said they had learnt something new, or been reassured that others’ views were similar to their own. We worked with a spoken word artist to help put those views into words, and then, at the group’s request, they worked with Salmagundi to bring those words to life through stop-frame animation. 

The results were brilliant, which was not surprising coming from a diverse group of strong-minded people with so much potential – the filmmakers were all aged 12-15, working towards their GCSEs, and with aspirations including becoming a doctor and working in the performing arts. 

Watch a compilation of the films below:

It’s no secret that substance use often affects the lives of former members of the UK Armed Forces. This can take many forms – from self-medication to help come to terms with a traumatic experience to difficulty transitioning from the heavy episodic drinking culture. It’s a serious issue that needs addressing.

However, there is another group of people affected by this issue - a hidden group whose voices are seldom heard, with little or no support available and barely any recognition or research.

Thanks to funding from Forces in Mind Trust (FiMT), Adfam and the University of York are working together to understand the experiences and needs of families of former members of the UK Armed Forces with substance use problems and what can be done to support them.

To help us achieve this we are grateful to have vital input from three family members with lived experience, and four partner organisations—the Armed Forces charity SSAFA, HMP Parc in Wales, Tom Harrison House in Liverpool, and Bristol Drugs Project.

Amanda, one of the family members supporting us shares her experience:

Online survey

At the beginning of July we launched an online survey to hear from families first-hand. Findings from the survey and the other parts of the research will be used to develop a peer support intervention. If you’re a family member affected by these issues, please do take part in our survey and circulate information about it to your networks. All participants are in with a chance of winning one of two £50 high street vouchers.

Take part in the survey here:

http://bit.ly/family-veterans-survey

This post was originally written for an issue of DDN Magazine. You can download the original here.

To find out more about the project contact Lorna Templeton, senior research fellow, University of York – lorna.templeton@york.ac.uk; or Rob Stebbings, policy and communications officer, Adfam – r.stebbings@adfam.org.uk.

Since our launch in May 2018, it's been really buzzing within our Newham Building Family Recovery Project. Our youth club in Forest Gate meets every Friday after school with a range of workshops and activities including art, poetry and even graffiti! Our poetry workshop, run by special guest Jamal Khan, was particularly popular with our young members producing some amazing pieces of poetry on a range of topics from families, football, food and love to youth violence and homelessness.

Young people in the group and families also enjoyed a VIP Madame Tussauds experience and organised their own Anti-Stigma Talent Show. This featured singers, dancers and spoken word artists before the main event; an anti-stigma fashion walk performed by young people to raise awareness of stigma and support Adfam’s campaign #StigmaMakesMeFeel.

Thanks to Stephen Timms MP for his support on the night and a special thank you to Jamal who hosted the event, and to his friends who came over from different parts of London to perform. Their poems on stigma and social issues really resonated with the audience.

Jamal is an award-winning writer & performer who is currently on a promo tour for his debut book ‘Words Within Walls’, a collection of journals he kept whilst in prison, touching upon everything from his personal struggles with mental health and how he used writing as a form of therapy, to the excessive levels of violence and suicide within our criminal justice system. He’s launching his book at City Hall on 29th November, find out more by emailing Jamal: Jamal-khan1@outlook.com.

In addition to the above achievements, we’ve also held a series of workshops for practitioners working with parents, young people, and families in Newham across a range of different services including mental health, domestic violence, education and employment. This has included Hidden Harm training, Alcohol Identification and Brief Advice (IBA) and Blue Light Manual Training run by our consultant Mike Ward. We are also in the process of partnering with CGL Newham Rise to extend their family services from Canning Town to Stratford and Manor Park.

Looking ahead we will be piloting our Youth Ambassador programme to train young people in Newham in communication and campaigning, and raising awareness of the harms of substance misuse. Please check out Adfam’s Twitter page as we will be tweeting weekly updates from Newham.

There are many more exciting things to come, so please watch this space. If you have any families in Newham affected by a loved one’s substance misuse please do get in touch.