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The Zone| The Zone | The Zone
Geographical Area: Dudley Borough
Age Range Min: 0
Age Range Max: 0
Gender Specific: no
| Culturally Specific: no
Method of Access: Open Access, Drop-in Facility, Appointments, Parent Referrals, Professional Referrals (GP’s, Connexions, Education, Youth Offending Team, Youth Service etc). A young person can phone for an appointment or knock on the door and they will be seen. Although The Zone operates an 'appointment only' system, they find that the young people do tend to treat it as a 'drop in ' centre.
| | Description | The Zone is responsible for specific targeting of young people requiring tier 3/4 interventions. A Holistic approach is used throughout the service which offers a variety of people centred treatments focussed on harm reduction. Services include support, counselling, provision of needle exchange, replacement prescribing and diversionary activities. A Prevention and Early Intervention Co-ordinator was appointed in September 2004 to identify and address strengths and gaps in current provision.
On arrival at the Zone, the young person will undergo an initial assessment, which will be followed up with a full assessment and the allocation of a Key Worker. The Key Worker will build up a relationship with the young person and they will both work together in creating a care plan which the young person will agree with and work to.
The first programme of activities for young people was based on a relapse prevention programme with a therapeutic and social aspect. The Zone have developed this programme to include education and it is now offered as well to young people not necessarily at the stage of requiring relapse prevention, to help build self esteem and confidence.
The Connexions service offer Positive Activities for Young People which young people attending the Zone are encouraged to take part in. Activities have included drumming workshops, graffiti boards and rock climbing. A volunteer worker and a member of staff run a weekly Art Therapy Group. The young persons care plan will determine which activities they are linked in to.
Procedures and policies are in place for home visits and visits to meet young people in other outside places such as local fast food outlets should the young person prefer to meet somewhere anonymous. An arrangement with The What Centre (Young Persons Advice Centre) in Stourbridge means that workers from the Zone can go there to meet young people.
Needle exchange is available through the Outreach Adult service but the Zone is in the process of recruiting a tier 1/2 post for Outreach targeted prevention work. Home detox is set up primarily by the adult service but the young person will be seen by the Zone Doctor and supported by their Key Worker. A young person will only be recommended for residential detox and rehabilitation if they have failed two or three times to detox in the community. The reality is that the young person has to come back to the area where they had the problems and it could be all to easy to get back into the same old patterns, so an appropriate care package has to be in place for when they return. Once a young person has been identified as being ready for residential detox a referral will be made to the DAT and Social Services.
The Family Support Worker offers support for parents who have a family member receiving services at the Zone. Families can be seen together but for complicated and very vulnerable young people, it isn't always appropriate for them to meet with their parents. Parents may be drug misusers themselves or have unchangeable patterns of behaviour which can cause conflict with the young person at a time when they are trying to change their own behaviour patterns. If appropriate, family sessions will be linked into the individual care the young person receives.
As the number of young people with alcohol problems is increasing, a relationship with the Family worker at Aquarius (service specifically for adults with alcohol misuse problems) is being formed.
Young people are also supported with any housing issues they may be experiencing although most young people under the age of 16 are usually at home with parents or in care, there is not a great deal of accommodation available for the 16 - 18 yr olds in the area.
The Prevention and Early Intervention Co-ordinator’s role is to develop and co-ordinate a comprehensive outreach and detached prevention and early intervention programme for young people at risk of developing substance misuse problems in the area. Consultation work with young people, service providers and the community is being undertaken to identify gaps and strengths in current service provision. Solutions to address the gaps will be identified and good practice will be promoted.
The Zone is seeking to extend the diversionary activities on offer to provide a full weekly programme of activities to engage young people at their base in Dudley. Located at the bottom of the High Street in Dudley, the Zone looks like a normal shop from the outside and is very accessible for young people. A quarterly newsletter is produced which young people are encouraged to contribute to. Hours of opening are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday - 9am - 5pm, Wednesday 9am - 8pm. Home visits and meetings at neutral locations can also be arranged.
Young People can be referred by other agencies such as Social Services, schools and the YOT. If this happens The Zone will ask for background details and try and make contact with the YP themselves or ask the agency to bring them along. It is always made clear to parents and carers who bring someone along that a young person cannot be made to engage with the service as quite often the young person will not return for follow up meetings. | | Objectives | AIM
To provide an alcohol and substance misuse service specifically for people under the age of 18 who live in the Dudley Borough. The service will provide accurate information, support, counselling, needle exchange and appropriate treatment. It will also offer support and guidance to other professionals and voluntary organisations that are engaged with young people. The Young People’s Service will operate separately from the adult service provided by the Warehouse.
Objectives
1. To determine appropriate service developments.
2. The service is evaluated to ensure it is both a quality service and is meeting the needs of the client population. | | Staff Profile | One Full Time – Divisional Manager
Three Full Time Key Workers (Core Work up to case load of 20)
One Full Time Youth Offending Team Drug Worker – Employed by the Dudley Drug Project
One Full Time Connexions PA – Seconded to the Zone
One Full Time Family Worker – Employed by Barnado's – Seconded to the Zone
One Prevention and Early Intervention Co-ordinator
One Full Time Administrator
GP allocated two sessions weekly for clinical support and prescribing
Consultant Psychiatrist - One Clinical support session weekly and one monthly evening clinic
Joint working agreement with CAMHS – see attached protocol
One domestic – Part - Time | | Linked Organisations | | The Zone has a strong multi-agency approach to its work. There are close links with The Warehouse (adult service) and with the YOT. Links with Connexions, Barnardo’s and Aquarius exist through the workers from each organisation based at the Zone |
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