Young People’s Drug and Alcohol Service (Reading)

Who are Source? A small team of Drug and Alcohol Workers. Under 18’s service Established July 2004 Reading’s only specialist young people’s drug and alcohol service!!

What happens in Reading?

Who can refer? Young Person Parent/Carer Professional Anybody as long as the young person consents. Our family worker can work with the parents of the young person, even if the young person doesn’t consent to work with Source.

What happens after referral?

What can Source offer to young people? Key Working Holistic service for young people with diverse needs offering referrals and support to different agencies e.g. housing, Connexions and CAMHS. Motivational Interviewing Focusing on the young persons motivation to change through one to one sessions. Relapse Prevention Helping the young person to identify causes of relapse, strategies to cope and support through lifestyle changes. Harm Reduction to support the young person to reduce the harm their drug use may have on themselves. Specialist Advice and Information Structured support around young persons drug use. Exit Strategies Linking young people with other agencies to provide support for when Source intervention is complete.

Specialist Health & Substance Misuse Worker Pharmacological Interventions Support alongside prescribing, working alongside pharmacies, referral to residential rehabilitation. Sexual Health Chlamydia testing, pregnancy testing, C-Card Scheme. Sexual health education Harm Reduction Specialist – Safer Injecting, Pathways into needle exchange, overdose prevention and management. Small Caseloads Greater flexible & timely interventions, crisis management, quick re-entry to service, longer/more frequent appointments. Health Health education including health eating, BMI’s, basic health screenings, referral on to specialist health services e.g. opticians

What is Triple P? Triple P stands for “Positive Parenting Programme”. It offers several different courses, devised by Dr Matt Sanders. The course aim is to strengthen parent/child relationship and to help parents promote the development and good behaviour of the young person. The course has been shown to work in research studies around the world.

Drugs of Choice 19,126 young people accessed specialist substance misuse services in 2013-14 nationally. In Reading we normally engage with 130-160 young people each year. Typically the young people we work with are aged between 15-18yrs. Cannabis- 71% nationally stated this was their problem drug Alcohol- 20% nationally stated this was their problem drug Tobacco MDMA-Ecstasy Cocaine M-CAT- Upward trend in use locally and nationally. ‘Legal Highs’- more young people have reported trying ‘legal highs’ In rare cases we do have young people using Heroin and or Crack Cocaine

What’s changing…

How are they legal? Spot the difference- Legal V Illegal compounds Small structural changes to an illegal chemical can create a new legal compound. Legal high dealers scour scientific literature for substances similar to recreational drugs. These are then produced by legitimate chemical firms, typically in China.

Examples of Legal Highs

Nitrous Oxide (N2O) Other wise know as ‘laughing gas’ or ‘happy gas’ Used in dentistry as an anaesthetic. Frequently used in form of whipped cream charger, small metal cartridges which are ‘cracked’ into a balloon for inhalation. Single cartridge is between one and three lung full of gas. One or two enough for a short nitrous experience. A box of 10 cartridges cost about £3.50

Exert from Pro Legal Highs Site “Nobody need tell you which the better option is. Get high and be safe. Legal highs are the only way to go! This was just a vision before. But now, things are different. The drugs that you want are created in such a way it won’t harm your body with the right use. It also won’t put you into any trouble with the law at all. Many people before us didn’t have this choice. And all of them would give anything to have what you have right now. So don’t waste it. Combining fun, partying, and friends have never been this good. Party all out all night. Get as high as you want. Nobody is going to stop you. Not even the cops. You’re free to experience sheer enjoyment and pleasure just the way you want it. If you are addicted to getting high, nobody should tell you not to be so. It is your right to be in the mood that you desire. So better make the correct choice today. Always settle for the legal drugs and forget that the illegal ones even existed.”

Useful Websites www.adolescent-substance-abuse.com www.talktofrank.com www.alcoholconcern.org.uk www.nta.nhs.uk www.knowcannabis.org.uk www.legalhighsinfo.com www.readingyouth.com

Contacting Source Phone: 0118 901 5666 E-mail: source@reading.gov.uk You can also contact us via Facebook or Twitter @source_reading