In 2024, Adfam marked its 40th anniversary, and throughout the year we published a series of 10 articles featuring key individuals who have been instrumental in supporting families through substance misuse. We recently released the final edition of ‘Adfam at 40’, bringing the reflective series to a close.
The first article features Chief Executive Vivienne Evans OBE, who has led the charity since 2001. Under Viv’s stewardship, Adfam expanded its role to include policy influence, campaigning, and providing guidance to professionals. While navigating an evolving landscape including, including funding cuts and changes, Adfam remains a crucial voice for families. While there has been a gradual shift in recognising the needs of families, Viv emphasises the importance of raising awareness about the challenges they face and acknowledging the importance of families’ contributions to recovery.
Rose, a member of Adfam’s Lived Experience Advisory Group, shares her journey with her daughter’s alcohol addiction and the profound impact it had on her family. Struggling with a lack of support, Rose founded a family peer support group to offer a safe space for others experiencing similar challenges. The group provided valuable emotional relief and support, helping members put themselves first. Reflecting on progress, Rose notes that services have become more open to engaging with families. However, she stresses the need for a whole-family approach that provides support for both the family as well as the individual in recovery. Read more about Rose’s story .
Former head of STRADA, Joy Barlow, reflects on her pioneering work in addressing parental substance misuse. In the 1980s, Joy was inspired by a conversation with a woman named Brenda, who highlighted the complete sparsity of support available for mothers impacted by substance misuse. This led to the creation of Brenda House in 1989, Scotland’s first residential rehab for women and children. Over the years, significant progress has been made, with increased understanding of the impact of substance misuse on women and children, as well as initiatives like the Partnership Drugs Initiative. Joy stresses that there is still much to be done, particularly in understanding the complexities of recovery within families. She calls for greater attention to the voices of women, children, and families to ensure services are responsive to their needs. Click here to read more.
Justina Murray, Chief Executive of Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs, discusses her seven-year journey with the charity. Scottish Families supports individuals across Scotland impacted by substance misuse, offering a range of services, including helplines and local family support. Justina highlights the importance of forward-thinking policies in Scotland, particularly around alcohol and drug use. She reflects on challenges such as stigma and the need for better access to family support services. Looking ahead, Justina focuses on strengthening existing services and ensuring that policy commitments mirror real support for families. You can find out more about Justina’s story here.
Kate Peake, Chief Executive of Family Support Link, discusses her work in the family sector. She highlights the importance of personal connections in supporting families affected by substance misuse and the growth of Family Support Link since its founding in 2007. Kate addresses challenges such as stigma, funding cuts, and the need for safe spaces for families. She emphasizes the value of early intervention and the need for increased family support services. She hopes for a resurgence in family support, especially in areas facing service cuts. Read more of Kate’s article here.
Dr. Emily Finch, an addiction psychiatrist, highlights the vital role of families in recovery. She speaks about the importance of helping individuals reconnect with or renegotiate family relationships, while also recognising that support networks extend beyond traditional family dynamics. While addiction services are stretched, she advocates for more family-inclusive support. Click here to read more.
We spoke with Chris Lee, Director of Strategy and Partnerships at Change, Grow, Live, who reflects on his career in the drug and alcohol sector and the challenges families face. He highlights the stigma surrounding substance use, the lack of funding, and the need for better collaboration between services. Chris advocates for a national service specification that includes families and discusses the importance of tackling stigma to improve support for those affected by substance use. Read more of the article here.
Craig Knowles, a Kinship Family Recovery Worker at Hetty’s, discusses the challenges kinship carers face when raising children affected by parental substance misuse. He shares the emotional toll, lack of support, and financial difficulties they endure. While progress has been made in raising awareness and advocating for male kinship carers, significant gaps remain, particularly for those in informal care arrangements. Craig calls for national policy changes to ensure kinship carers receive the necessary support without relying solely on charities. Find out more about Craig’s story here.
Martin Blakebrough, CEO of Kaleidoscope, shares how his family endeavour shaped the charity which supports people with drug, alcohol, and mental health issues across Wales and England. He discusses key policy differences between Wales and England, advocating for a health-based approach to drug issues rather than a criminal justice focus. Martin also highlights the need for better family support services, particularly for mothers, and calls for a more compassionate, family-centric approach across the UK. Click here to read Martin’s article.
For the final article in the series, we spoke with Naomi Bacon, winner of the 2024 Gary Seaman Award, which recognises the incredible work of volunteers in improving the lives of families affected by substance use. Naomi shares her childhood experiences growing up with an alcoholic father. She emphasises the importance of breaking the silence and ending the stigma around addiction. Naomi praised Adfam for its support for families and contributed by helping to expand its reach, including organising a book launch and developing an Online Retreat for families. She is hopeful about normalising conversations around addiction, ultimately aiming for addiction to be viewed as an illness rather than a choice. Read Naomi’s article here.
A huge thank you to all of the guest contributors who took part in our Adfam at 40 series!