The Provision of a Sefton Council Young People and Families Substance use Service

The pattern of substance use among young people is changing, both in terms of reported prevalence and complexity of the problems faced by the young people who use services. While recent years Sefton has seen a decline in the number of young people recorded as entering specialist substance use services, substance use continues to be an issue for young people with cannabis and alcohol remaining the most commonly reported substances for under 18-year-olds in Sefton

Young people who have substance use problems often have complex needs. This often involves poor mental health and self-harm, and sometimes experience of criminal or sexual exploitation. These young people need a combination of specialist substance use service and wider health and support services.

Building resilience within an age-appropriate model of young people and family substance use service delivery is central to enabling young people to develop the confidence and social capital that are protective factors against vulnerability to substances and involvement in criminal activity.

Substance use can also have a devastating impact on families. Families can support and aid recovery, but they also ofen have their own support needs. Specific support is also required for families with parental substance misuse treatment needs, this must be integrated and co-ordinated at a local level.

Intergenerational substance use is a pattern of substance use passed on within families – a pattern which can be hard to break without support and interventions. Evidence from family intervention programmes demonstrates that the lives of children and young people can be significantly improved where substance using parents are provided with targeted interventions and specialist service support that considers the needs of the whole family.

Universal prevention is also an important part of addressing local substance use. Providing school based education and wider substance use interventions plus awareness raising activity and information for young people and parents is important in developing an understanding of substance use and attendant risks and accessing help and support.

Sefton Public Health are seeking to commission an integrated model of young people’s and families substance use service , combining universal, targeted and specialist substance use treatment for young people aligned with family focused interventions where parental substance use is a factor. The service is an important part of the local substance use treatment system providing support to some of the Boroughs most vulnerable young people and families.

The specialist integrated substance use service for young people and families will support the ambition within the 2021 national 10-year drug strategy – From Harm to Hope, for 50% more young people to receive specialist substance use interventions, preventing longer term use into adulthood.

1st April 2023 to 31st March 2028 with the option for 2 further extensions, each of 1 year.