CT0748 - Service for Children Affected by Parental Substance Use (CAPSU)

The specification will outline a single coherent service focused on minimising harm and mitigating risks to children and young people by reducing the impact of parental substance use. The service will provide support to the whole family and take a wider view of family including older relatives and friends. It will provide:

• holistic support for families with children and young people aged 0-18 affected by parental substance use
• emotional and practical support for children and young people aged 5-18 affected by parental substance use.

Strong links and joint working will be expected with drug and alcohol treatment hubs, social work practice teams and other services for people affected by substance use in order to identify families having difficulties at the earliest possible stage and provide the required level of support and intervention to best support children, young people and families.

It is expected that the successful provider will have a proven track record in working with particularly vulnerable families affected by parental substance use and be able to bring innovative approaches and programmes to their work. They will also be expected to have clear, effective procedures to involve families and children in service design, evaluation and improvement.

The work with families shall include the specific activities listed below:

• Help for parents to support them in their role by providing professional advice and enabling interventions to address issues such as setting boundaries, dealing with challenging behaviour and establishing routines;
• Practical assistance to help people attend medical and other professional appointments e.g. child’s medical appointments;
• Targeted interventions to improve school / nursery attendance and educational attainment of the children / young people within the family;
• Access to interventions to improve emotional wellbeing and literacy;
• Support on wider issues that impact on the wellbeing of the child e.g. budgeting and finance issues, housing issues, healthy eating etc. by enabling clients to access the services provided by other organisations where appropriate through signposting and /or accompanying people to initial appointments;
• Work in partnership with adult treatment and recovery services to support individual and family recovery;
• The service will be expected to include specific engagement and support for fathers and bring innovative ideas and approaches to improve family support.
• Group work
• Peer support for families

The service will also require direct one-to-one work with children and young people affected by parental substance use which will focus on building resilience and emotional wellbeing, improving self-confidence and self-esteem and addressing specific issues that may be the result of parental substance use e.g. anxiety, anger, grief and caring responsibilities.

While acknowledging that this is not a crisis management service, the service will need to ensure staff are available to support children and families at key times of need; and can attend relevant professional meetings concerning the welfare of the child and/ or young person.

The service will need to empower and enable families, children and young people to make the transition from this specialist CAPSU Service into mainstream activities and community services.

The service shall be responsive to the changing landscape for delivering Council services on a locality basis and the further development of adult drug and alcohol services and the Recovery Hubs and will develop the Service accordingly. Additional information: This Prior Information Notice (PIN) is being utilised to help engage and understand the market which will support the procurement route going forward.

By submitting your interest, you are agreeing to further engagement with the Council and the Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership.

Please note TUPE may apply to this requirement.