Young People Specialist Problem Substance Use Treatment Service & Support for Young Carers

Specialist problem substance use services for young people are normally separate from adult treatment services because young people’s alcohol and drug problems tend to be different from adults’ and need a different response. This includes:

• being child centred.
• considering the age and maturity of young people.
• acting on safeguarding concerns.
• making sure the young people do not mix with adults who use drugs.

These services support young people, help them to reduce the harm their alcohol or drug use causes them and try to prevent it from becoming a bigger problem as they get older. This can also include supporting young people in the context of parental / carer problem substance use where identified. Services should be part of a wider network of local prevention services that support young people with a range of needs and help them to build their resilience.

For young carers, the service aims to achieve improved health and wellbeing, educational outcomes

and access pathways to support for our young carers whilst protecting them from inappropriate or

excessive care and support to minimise the negative physical and emotional impact of caring. Many

young carers experience complexity in their lives through overcrowded housing, social isolation,

loneliness and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) particularly problematic substance use by

parents, poor parental mental health and parental separation recognizing that each young carer has

their own gifts, attributes and strengths.

For practitioners, the service will support them to identify and effectively support young carers in

their work e.g. schools, hospital, GPs etc.