Transcript Slide 1 - Scottish Drugs Forum

Rhona Hunter
Team Manager
Jayne Reed
Senior Community Mental Health Nurse
Why have a young person’s service?
The evidence that we have about drug use demonstrates that it
varies markedly according to age, with use of illegal drugs
increasing substantially around age 15. The research review found
that interventions were more effective the fewer pre-intervention
problems there were for the drug user. This indicates that the
sooner a person comes into treatment services, the better the
outcome.
Services for Young People with Problematic Drug Misuse,
Effective Interventions Unit, Scottish Executive
Indeed the majority of young people who experiment with drugs cease use
in adulthood with a minority exhibiting continued problems. However,
others argue that any sustained use in adolescence predicts later use, and
it is usually problematic in it’s own right.
Health Advisory Service, The Substance of Young Needs,
Review 2001
Who are these young people?
The children and young people accessing the case study services typically faced a
range of issues, not all of which would be related to drug misuse. The severity of
drug misuse in itself can vary widely between services and individual cases. In the
cases encountered or discusses with the key workers, there was a spectrum of use
ranging from regular use of cannabis, often combined with alcohol, to smoking or
injecting heroin on a daily basis. Poly-drug use could start from 11 or 12 in some
cases. The findings were broadly consistent with data from prevalence studies
based on surveys of 12-15 year olds in Scottish schools.
Drug Treatment for Young People, a research review,
Effective Interventions Unit, Scottish Executive
Planning Services
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An intervention should take account of the unique development needs
of young people.
Services should be dedicated to children and young people.
The views of the young person are of central importance and need to
be taken into account at all steps.
Services should promote children’s rights and welfare.
Effective Interventions Unit, Scottish Executive
Key issues affecting the design & delivery of services
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Child centred
Respecting and protecting of the rights of children and adolescents
Lawful
Respectful of family and child
Comprehensive
Integrated
Accessible
Effective, efficient and targeted
Competent
Health Advisory Service, The Substance of Young Needs,
Review 2001
Who are we?
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We are a multi-disciplinary team with backgrounds in Social Work,
Community Education, Nursing, Substance Use, Youth Work and
Residential Child Care.
We have dedicated workers for “Looked After and Accommodated”
young people.
We have recently advertised for a dedicated worker to work with
young homeless people.
We have a Community Mental Health Nurse.
So what do we do at hype?
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Publicise widely
We offer an easy referral route and an immediate response
We are separate from adult services
The care offered is integrated
We encourage family work where possible
We work across all substances, we don’t define the problem
We have no lower age range – the youngest to date is 8
We offer outreach
We offer one-off appointments or open ended contact. Young people
need the option of being able to dip in and out of the service.
So what do we do at hype? (contd)
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We will write to our young people to remind them of their appointments
and will phone or text on the day if they want this
We offer food
Our material is young people friendly, our assessment booklet is
designed for young people and is holistic. The building is warm, friendly
and welcoming.
We offer confidentiality within a child protection framework.
We give young people our Rights and Responsibilities leaflet.
We work in partnership with NHS Lothian