|
|
Young People's Service| Young People's Service | Young People's Service
Geographical Area: County of Shropshire
Age Range Min: 0
Age Range Max: 19
Gender Specific: No
| Culturally Specific: No
Method of Access: The service accepts self and third party referrals from any agency that is concerned with young people. They can be contacted by telephone or there is a drop-in service when a duty officer from the community drugs team is always available. Drop in hours are 10:00 to 16:00 on a Monday to Thursday and 10:00 - 13:00 on Fridays. The service is closed for lunch every day between 13:00 - 13:40
| | Description | Each young person is assessed and a course of action decided upon. They have found that younger people tend to have cannabis and alcohol misuse problems, while the older ones tend to have problems with heroin and need prescribing and detox.
If Tier 2 interventions are required then the young person will be referred to one of the two substance misuse workers based at Connexions. For Tier 3 interventions, there are two specialist workers. If a case is a borderline one, then the young person will be assessed by a Tier 3 worker first which may result in a referral back to a Tier 2 worker.
Each young person will have an organised care package and action plan which may involve personal, social and educational or social elements. Many young people have confidence issues and the workers will provide advocacy, accompanying them to interviews and appointments if necessary.
Tier 3 workers provide structured 1:1 motivational counselling, looking at changing substance misuse behaviour. Counselling also helps with underlying problems and other issues such as housing and education. Parents are involved if this is felt appropriate. Young people often present as chaotic and the focus is on getting them into a stable condition. Tier 3 workers will also attend clinical appointments with the young person as well as appointments with other agencies.
There is no time limit involved with anyone, some young people have a couple of months of intensive work and then their case is closed, others require longer, perhaps 12 to 18 months intervention work. There are protocols in place for transferring a young person to the adult service but it is always hoped that if they have been referred early enough to the young people’s service, then this doesn’t become necessary.
Funding for the service includes a ‘diversionary budget’ so that if there is an opportunity to engage a young person in activities or therapeutic that workers or New House cannot provide and which they are interested in or would benefit them, then this is possible to arrange. Activities range from acupuncture and help with relaxation, to attendance on college courses.
Tier 4 treatment services are arranged with New House, the specialist drug and alcohol unit at Shrewsbury Hospital. There is a protocol in place to fast track young people into their services. New House is fundamentally an adult service, although 2 beds are set aside for in-patient rehabilitation for those over the age of 16 . The associate specialist has an interest in young people and is able to prescribe for them. There are also 6 GP’s offering ‘shared care’ arrangements. Community Detox can be arranged with an appropriate adult (parent/carer/foster carer) supervising prescriptions with the Tier 3 worker visiting regularly. An in-patient service for under 16 year olds is not available at New House any need for the under 16s would have to be sourced from out of the area.
The service is also available to give advice for parents/carers and professionals and has information leaflets in respect of solvents, alcohol and illicit drugs. Harm reduction awareness sessions for at risk (or excluded) individuals or groups of young people can also be organised on request. | | Objectives | | The aim of the service is to try and engage with the young person and get them stable and into treatment as soon as possible and then to start looking at the issues that they have and encourage them to engage in the community. | | Staff Profile | 1 Service Manager covering Tiers 2,3,& 4
2 Tier 3 workers
2 Tier 2 workers based in Connexions
1 admin assistant. | | Linked Organisations | | Workers work alongside Children and Families workers from Social Services. The service has close links with Connexions. Links have been made with local hostels for example in Shrewsbury and Oswestry. |
|
|
