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Families First
Families First is:
- a multiagency team set up to work with the children of families affected by parental/carers substance misuse
- a partnership between Children's Services, Treatment Education and Drugs Services (TEDS) and Cwmtaff NHS Trust.
Contact details:
Families First:, 8 Centre Court, Main Avenue, Treforest Ind. Est., CF37 5YL
Tel: 01443 827000
Email: families_firstproject@hotmail.com
Families First now offers a range of interventions:
1. Strengthening Families Programme 10-14
One of the issues that the substance misuse field has always been concerned about is that we are all aware that there are a range of issues which may make particular young people more vulnerable to substance misuse but many attempts at 'prevention' have not been found to be successful. One of the few areas that research has been able to endorse in the arena of helping whole families to address this (and other issues).
This is called the Strengthening Families Programme 10-14 so called because it is a programme to be attended by parents and children where the children are between 10-14. It is a highly structured programme lasting 7 sessions over 7 weeks with booster sessions provided. Some sessions are for parents only, some for children only and some together. It is focussed on building strengths within the family and reducing family related risk factors for adolescent problem behaviour and substance misuse.
Referral criteria are - for residents of RCT, where children are 10-14, all parties agree to referral and are committed to attending all sessions in early evening.
Who can be referred
- young people who are experiencing aggressive/withdrawn behaviour, risky peer influences, poor relationships with parents
- parents who are experiencing demanding behaviour, weak family communications, poor boundary setting
- families who have difficult young person-parent relationships, family conflict, substance misuse issues.
2. Intermediate Support for Families where Parental Substance Misuse is an Issue
1. Model for Families
This method of working with families aims to ensure that parents have an increased understanding of their substance misuse, patterns of use and effects on their children.
Work with parents will involve:
Pre assessment
- To establish trust and engagement with family
Assessment sessions
- Explore the family strengths and protective factors
- Perception of children's knowledge of substance misuse
- Explore the substance misuse and what would happen if the patterns change
- Address issues of change planning for the parent and child
Interventions will:
- Ensure there is increased insight in relation to the children's perspectives and needs
- Identification of a risk plan in relation to
- Safety issues
- Practical help required
- Increase parenting skills
Skills and knowledge
Motivational interviewing will be the primary method of engaging families in the process; however other methods can also be used to progress the direct work with parents. Including skills and knowledge of assessment processes and parenting techniques.
Work with children
The Families First Project aims to ensure that children have an understanding of their parent's substance misuse and develop their coping strategies.
Pre assessment
- Establish trust and engagement
Assessment will include:
- Perception of parents substance use and what the child understands
- Exploring the child's fears, loss, separation - this will be dependant on age
- Enable children to make sense of confusing feelings and experiences they may have
- Communicate their anxieties to parents
- Address areas and issues of role reversal
Interventions will:
- Provide a safe space for children to make sense of their home life and assist them to communicate with parents.
- This will be achieved by providing stimulating activity sessions and direct work sessions with a view to them having enjoyable experience and explore their coping strategies.
Skills and knowledge
To progress the planning, workers from the project will require an ability to work in an age and gender appropriate way with effective listening and learning assessment.
3. Intensive Interventions for Families where Parental Substance Misuse is an Issue
The purpose of this initiative is to put in interventions at their maximum at the particular times when changes are most likely to happen in people's lives.
The target group are those families where children are or are at risk of going onto the CPR or where they are or are at risk of becoming looked after. The work is likely to be for a restricted period of up to three months the intensity will vary according to needs. It will include several contacts a week the basis of which will be motivational interviewing but which will be complemented by other practical and child related activities. The structure of the intervention will remain the same as with the intermediate level (above) so the details in Section 2 above will also apply at this level.
This referral pathway will be through Children's services - specifically from the social worker to the team manager of Families First. It is recognised that capacity will not keep pace with referrals so the collaboration between the two may focus on those for whom it may be most useful.
4. Pregnancy
Families First has a specialist health visitor to work as follows (for more detail click here)
Referral Criteria
Any woman more the 24 weeks gestation, who is using/misusing substances, has/had a negative impact on parenting, living within Rhondda Cynon Taf.
Who needs to be referred:
- If a woman misuses drugs and/or alcohol is pregnant then they should be referred to families first in accordance with the health care pathway developed by Julie Evans Manager for Community Midwifery Services in RGH.
- Referrals can be made at any time during the pregnancy but the most effective time is at 24 weeks gestation. Prior to this the pregnancy might not be viable as there is a high incidence of late miscarriage due to substance misuse. At 24 weeks it allows the health visitor, time to work with the clients.
- All clients should reside within Rhondda Cynon Taf
Aims and Objectives:
To prevent / minimise the impact of substance misuse on Women, partners and their unborn baby to promote the best possible outcome.
- Multi-disciplinary collaboration to promote effective communication with all agencies.
- Furnishing parents with information :
On the effects of substances on the developing fetus
Neonatal Abstinence Scoring
Patterns of withdrawal and admission to SCBU
Breast Feeding
- Offer support and guidance on caring for a baby with NAS
- Promote a safe environment for the baby.
- Build on and develop existing parenting skills.
- Relapse prevention
- Offer advocacy where appropriate.
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