Following a competitive tender process ESH Works Ltd has been appointed to deliver the service which will include more support for carers and family members of those with a drug or alcohol problem from 1st April 2012.

ESH – an acronym for Experience, Strength and Hope – will run forums, workshops, and training for service users and family members, to help support recovery from addiction, and reduce the widespread harm caused by substance misuse.

The service will also include a volunteering scheme, advocacy support, and a peer mentoring programme to support service users with their recovery.

This support will be an integral part of the Warwickshire treatment system delivered alongside the Recovery Partnership, the new provider of drug and alcohol treatment services for Coventry and Warwickshire.

Paul Hooper, Warwickshire County Council’s Community Safety and Substance Misuse Manager said: “The DAAT are pleased to introduce ESH Works as the new service provider that will offer peer support for people affected by drug and alcohol misuse.

“Beating substance addiction is a long and difficult process and treatment alone is often not enough. These services will provide emotional support, advice, and practical help which will be essential to get people on the road to recovery.”

Paul Urmston from ESH Works added: “Our service aim is to encourage service users and family members to be actively involved in the on-going planning, development, and commissioning of substance misuse services to ensure that they are effective, recovery-focused and meet needs.”

Prior to 1 April 2012 the user involvement and peer mentoring service was provided by Voices 4 Choices.

The partnership is provided by Addaction and Cranstoun, two national substance misuse charities which between them operate over 100 specialist services.

The Recovery Partnership is a one-stop-shop for people with a dependency on drugs and/or alcohol. It will build on the success of previous services and continue to offer interventions – such as drug and alcohol advice and information, needle exchange services, a range of treatment options including prescribing, detoxification and support for those going through the criminal justice system – but with a sharper focus on helping people to become drug or alcohol free.

The Recovery Partnership also provides structured day-care, aftercare and support for parents and carers to help people achieve and maintain this freedom from dependency. It replaces drug and alcohol services previously provided by Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership Trust (services known as CDTs), Trust the Process Counselling, Swanswell Charitable Trust, Warwickshire Probation Trust and West Midlands Police.

”Warwickshire County Councillor Richard Hobbs, Portfolio Holder for Community Protection, said: “Addaction and Cranstoun have already been delivering some drug and alcohol services in Warwickshire and we are confident that they will be effective in providing the joint service and improving the lives of those affected by drugs and alcohol.”

Coventry City Councillor Phil Townshend, Cabinet Member for Community safety and Equalities added: “Alcohol and drug misuse blights the lives of individuals, families and whole communities. Effective treatment – alongside policing, licensing and prevention – is crucial to making everyone healthier and safer.

“This new contract will build on the good performance of current providers in reducing the harm to individuals and communities and improve the support available to individuals wanting to become – and remain – free from drug and alcohol addictions.

The contract across Coventry and Warwickshire is worth £15.3 million over two years. It is believed to be the largest single contract of its type in the country.

A separate contract to offer services for young people with drug and alcohol issues in Warwickshire was also tendered at the same time. This has been awarded to national service provider Compass who took up the service at the start of the month.

Service bases will be open 9am-5pm, Monday to Friday, with extended hours (evenings and weekends) to be confirmed.
Full contact details:

Nuneaton & North Warwickshire
37-38 Coton Rd, Nuneaton, CV11 5TW
Tel: 02476 641100
Fax: 02476 388060

Rugby
1 Regent Place, Rugby, CV21 2PJ
Tel: 01788 569582
Fax: 01788 562576

Stratford & South Warwickshire
Stratford Healthcare, Arden Street, CV37 6HJ
Tel: 01789 206770
Fax: 01789 417750

Leamington & Warwick
16 Court St, Leamington Spa, CV31 2BB
Tel: 01926 885000
Fax: 01926 435198

Coventry

8 Ironmonger Row, Coventry, CV1 1FD
Tel: 02476 630135
Fax: 02476 234686

In a speech in Birmingham on Thursday 15 December, David Cameron outlined his expectations for local authorities to appoint a network of ‘troubleshooters’ to help chaotic families who face a range of problems.

This was welcome news to Ruth Eden, Family Intervention Project Manager, prompting her to speak of the progress already made in Warwickshire. Ruth said: “The Family Intervention Project (FIP) has been up and running in Warwickshire for two years. In that time we have supported over 30 families to address multiple and often complex needs such as housing problems, anti social behaviour, non school attendance, offending, substance misuse and many other issues.

“Project staff work with a small number of families to both support and challenge them to make the changes needed to prevent serious consequences for themselves, or the wider community, as a result of their behaviour. Some positive results have been noted so far.

“We have observed a reduction in the issuing of formal sanctions, and family breakdown has been prevented on a number of occasions. We have also seen the first CRASBO revoked at the local authority’s request because of the incredible progress made by the young person involved in the project.”

“Our teams have tremendous input from key partners within the local authority and the third sector and we aim to co-ordinate efforts and methods of intervention to add value to the work colleagues are already doing.”

Cllr Timms, Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Child Safeguarding, Early Intervention and Schools, commented: “It is very timely that David Cameron’s announcement co-incides with the expansion of Warwickshire’s Family intervention Project.

“It is reassuring to know that we already have reliable and effective systems in place to identify and reach these families in crisis – a great example of working in partnership to deliver real results in the community.”

The team of safety experts offered advice to students on drugs, alcohol, sexual health and personal safety at higher education venues in Leamington Spa, Stratford upon Avon and North Warwickshire this month.

Armed with leaflets, advice packs and pens printed with contact details for further support services they spoke to over 500 students at the events.

The council’s Community Safety Team’s key message was ‘keep it safe, keep it hidden, keep it locked’ urging students to take care of their property and valuables. Meanwhile the substance misuse service promoted healthy lifestyles and talked to people about drugs and alcohol, and the Respect Yourself Campaign offered advice about safe sex.

Amy Danahay, Respect Yourself Campaign Manager, said: “We obviously want people to enjoy themselves while at College or University but the most important thing is for them to do so safely, especially when it comes to sexual health.

“It’s worth bearing in mind that it is ok to say ‘no’ if someone suggests you have sex. If you do decide to, then make sure you’re ready and use contraception to reduce the risk of an unplanned pregnancy or catching an STI. “

Cllr Richard Hobbs, Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for Community Protection, said: “Starting college is a big event for new students, and for many their first steps toward independence and moving away from home.

“We want them to have an enjoyable and safe time studying in Warwickshire and our presence at these fairs, offering them information relevant to their lifestyles and personal safety, will hopefully have achieved this.”

Warwickshire’s Drug and Alcohol Action Team Manager Paul Hooper added: “We want students to make the most of the whole college or university experience and wouldn’t want them to spoil this through unsafe drinking and illegal drug use. We hope our advice has made them more aware of the implications of such behaviour and will help them to stay in control.”

For more information regarding alcohol and drugs, visit www.warwickshire.gov.uk/drugs or for further information about Community Safety, visit www.warwickshire.gov.uk/studentsafety.

Substance Misuse Strategy Team Manager Paul Hooper from the county’s Drug and Alcohol Action Team (DAAT) is encouraged by the figures revealed in a National Centre for Social Research report last week which shows young people are becoming less tolerant of alcohol and drug mis-use.

The report uses 2010 survey data from a sample of over 7000 secondary schools pupils and makes some interesting observations about young people’s shifting attitudes toward smoking, drugs and alcohol.

Less young people are drinking alcohol according to the survey which reports that 45 per cent of pupils said they had drunk alcohol once or more in 2010 compared to 61 per cent in 2003.

Their tolerance of drinking and drunkenness among their peers has also reduced. For example, in 2010, 32 per cent agreed that it was acceptable for someone of their age to drink alcohol once a week, compared with 46 per cent in 2003.

The survey also revealed that pupils’ drinking behaviour is influenced by the views and behaviour of their families, with young people being less likely to drink if their parents disapprove, and more likely to drink if this is tolerated at home.

Just over half of pupils (51 per cent) said their families didn’t like them drinking. Almost as many (48 per cent) said their families didn’t mind them drinking, as long as they didn’t drink too much, with a very small proportion (1 per cent) who said their parents let them drink as much as they like.

Similar downward trends were reported in the young people’s attitude to drugs and smoking. In the 2010 sample, 18 per cent of pupils reported ever having taken drugs which is a decrease from 29 per cent in 2001. Smoking is also less popular, in 2010 27 per cent of pupils said they had smoked at least once, compared with 44 per cent in 2001.

The DAAT is cautiously optimistic that the survey is the start of a shift in both opinion and behaviour. Paul Hooper said: “These figures are encouraging but we must not get complacent. We know that liver disease amongst the young is on the increase and alcohol-related hospital admissions continue to rise.

“Society as a whole will benefit from reduced alcohol consumption in the younger generation so we must continue to offer them education and support around substance misuse and the dangers of this behaviour.

“In Warwickshire we takes a collaborative approach to tackling this issue working with the NHS, schools, colleges support services and treatment providers working together to reduce the risk posed to youngsters.

“A lot of progress has been made in the last few years to change attitudes and prevent harm and we will continue to invest whatever resources we have to reduce the number of young people experimenting with cigarettes, drugs and alcohol even further.”

John Linnane, Warwickshire’s Joint Director of Public Health added: “This report presents some reassuring views but there is still more to be done to educate young people about the dangers of substance misuse from an early age.

“The numbers of young people who drink regularly are still high enough to result in a future health time bomb. In terms of development the liver is not fully functioning until age 20 and the brain is not finally formed until age 24 which puts the Chief Medical Officer recommendations that nobody should drink until 15 into some context.

“Parents are pivotal to education and to shaping the attitudes of young people towards alcohol. Therefore we encourage parents to continue to talk to their children about the dangers of alcohol and other substances, set clear boundaries for them, and offer a responsible example for them to follow through their own use of alcohol.”

Following a competitive tendering process, Compass, a national substance misuse charity, has won the contract to work with young people to reduce their substance misuse and improve their overall health.

Most young people do not use drugs, and those that do are usually not dependent. But drug or alcohol misuse can have a major impact on young people’s education, their health, their families and their long-term chances in life. Last year, 152 young people received specialist support for substance misuse – mainly due to cannabis and alcohol use.

Warwickshire County Councillor Heather Timms, Portfolio Holder for Children and Families, said:

“Compass has been working in the substance misuse field for many years and we are confident that they can provide positive support to some of our most vulnerable young people.

“Compass has experience of working with young people in eleven other local authorities, including Coventry. Compass Area Director Rachel Bundock stated “We are delighted to have been given this opportunity. Compass is absolutely committed to providing the best service for young people and their families across Warwickshire and we are looking forward to building long lasting partnerships.”