1. SDF Conference & Projects Fair 29 th October 2014 Rosie Kerr, Manager, North Lanarkshire Integrated Addiction Service Eleanor McDermott, Development Officer, Lanarkshire Alcohol & Drug Partnership

2. Why develop this process? To ensure that services working within Lanarkshire ADP comply with Scottish Government guidance and legislation: Getting it right for every child Getting our Priorities Right (2013) Children and Young People Act (2014) Systematic gathering of information by substance misuse staff; same language to promote joint working across adult and children’s services – better outcomes for children and families affected by substance misuse Realistic and sustainable approach!

3. Getting our Priorities Right (2013) Our shared vision for children, young people and families in Scotland is to ensure that they have the best possible chances in their lives and where needed, they receive the right care, help and protection. For some families, the challenges in achieving this are great. Few challenges are as daunting as supporting families where there are problem alcohol and/or drug issues. Aileen Campbell Minister for Children and Young People

4. Key Guidance Messages from GOPR Parents affected by alcohol and drug use need professionals to take responsibility for their children’s well-being and all services must always consider the individual child or adult within the wider context of the family GOPR reflects Getting it right for every child and the Recovery Frameworks which means: The well-being of children is the most important consideration It is everyone’s responsibility to ensure that children are protected from harm We should help children early and not wait for crises – or tragedies – to occur Child and adult-focused services must work together, in planning and delivering services, in assessment and care planning with families and in multi-disciplinary training

5. GOPR – Deciding When Children Need Help When working with parents with problem alcohol or drug use, all services should consider the possible impacts on any dependent children All services should take account of any strengths, as well as challenges, within the family The child’s Named Person should be kept informed/involved Care should be taken to ensure that information is shared appropriately and proportionately and should not be shared without consent unless there are concerns about the child’s well-being

6. Set up a Project Steering Group Commissioned Mairi Tulbure Associates to take the work forward Brought together a focus group of practitioners from local substance misuse services Mapped all local services and processes Developed a new process, Practice Guidance and assessment tool to comply with refreshed GOPR and GIRFEC and the Children and Young People Act what did we do in Lanarkshire?

7. what did we achieve? Getting it Right pathway The Promoting Well-being Assessment Series of “prompt cards” to support practitioners Guidance on how local substance misuse services should relate to the roles of the Named Person and Lead Professional Guidance on how ADP service should contribute to an Integrated Assessment and Child’s Plan Chronology guidance Dedicated team of trainers to support staff on an ongoing basis

8. What is a Promoting Well-being Assessment? A record of an assessment process for service users who have significant caring responsibilities for children, recording what is known about how they promote their child/children’s well-being: a written account of what practitioners know based on facts and their own observations A process which helps practitioners to determine the nature of any concerns they may have about service users’ children A framework based on well-being which uses the same language as children’s services A documentation of the adult service user’s strengths as well as pressures and areas for improvement A record of service users own perceptions and views A process which leads to actions agreed between the practitioner and the service user An assessment record for each service user not each child An exercise which will help to support, promote and safeguard children’s well-being

9. Examples of what we know about service users SAFE The service user’s current use of substance includes high risk behaviours The service user’s safe storage of substance has been observed within the home HEALTHY The service user suffers from consistently low mood and struggles to motivate themselves at times The service user maintains all health appointments for themselves and reports doing the same for their child ACHIEVING The service user has not had a positive experience of learning themselves and reports school as of little value to their child The service user takes an interest in their child’s education and has been observed supervising homework during a home visit NURTURE The service user reports that their child has all the electronic toys they want to keep them happy and they don’t need any other kind of attention The service user has very little experience of physical affection and encouragement from their own parents but reports a determination to change this for their own child. A warm relationship has been observed when the child attends the clinic weekly with his father

10. Examples of outcomes in substance misuse SAFE Increased capacity to provide a safe physical environment because there is a reduction in unknown adults congregating in the child’s home and a reduction in unsafe behaviour related to the use of substances HEALTHY Increased capacity to provide nourishing food and exercise because the parent/carer’s substance use is reducing and they have more time and resources NURTURE Increased capacity to provide a nurturing environment with more privacy and dignity now that the home is not used for “parties” or using substances RESPONSIBLE Increased capacity to support the child to attend nursery/school every day now that the parent/carer is keeping more regular hours

11. Sharing information with the Named Person The universal services of health and education identify a Named Person who carries professional responsibility for children and young people’s well-being at different stages of their lives. Substance misuse service staff should share information with the Named Person if it will help to support, promote or safeguard the child’s well- being Information should only be shared with informed consent unless there is evidence that harm may be caused to the child’s well-being The information that should be shared with informed consent is: Information that the service user is seeking help with alcohol and/or drug use Information that substance misuse/addictions services are no longer being provided The Promoting Well-being Assessment The information that should be shared without informed consent is: The exact nature of any concern that harm is being caused to a child’s well-being without informed consent

12. Key points for the Named Person The Named Person will receive the Promoting Wellbeing Assessment and will never be asked to complete any parts of assessment paperwork The information is shared through the Promoting Wellbeing assessment is only one part of the “jigsaw” that contributes facts known and observations made by the substance misuse worker regarding the adults substance misuse and the impact on children The Promoting Wellbeing assessment should never be a substitute for staff within agencies actually talking to one another The Promoting Wellbeing assessment should never be a substitute for the Named Persons own concern

13. Thank you for listening