1. Family Support Dr Carmel Devaney June, 2016

2. Comment on… Family Support in Irish context
FS & families where substance misuse is an issue 2

3. FS & Substance misuse
Traditionally main aim of practice interventions was to treat substance misuser, effects on family were not considered (Copella et al. 2005; Robertson and Haight, 2012) Families were seen as partially responsible for misuse & the problems associated with it (Robertson and Haight, 2012) Increasingly recognised; - that all family members are impacted by substance misuse & need to be supported - Wider context needs to be included in any response (Copella et al. 2005) 3

4. Family Support in Ireland
Formal Family Support is an approach to working with children, young people, parents and families which is based on a style of work which emphasises prevention, early intervention and a focus on the strengths of family members.
It aims to reinforce positive informal social networks and build on individual resilience. 4

5. Family Support in Ireland
The essence of Family Support is captured in its delivery. Family Support can be provided by a range of practitioners working with families with varying levels of need in an effort to respond to their need in a timely and considered manner (Pinkerton et al., 2004; Devaney, 2011; Devaney and Dolan, 2014). 5

6. Family Support Early intervention Promotion and Targeted to
across a range
of levels and needs
Promotion and
Protection
Targeted to
the
hard to reach
vulnerable /
at risk
Family Support
Integrated
programmes
A range of activities
Reinforces positive
informal
Social Networks
Style of work based on
operational &
practice principles
DCYA, 2004

7. Key Principles of FS Strengths-based Informal supports
Partnership Needs led
Strengths-based Informal supports
Accessible & flexible Evidence based 7

8. A theoretical base for Family Support
Underpinned by an amalgam of a number of theories – social support (informal & formal), social ecology, attachment, social capital, & resilience (children, young people, parents, families, communities) Also informed by a social justice & human rights perspective 8

9. FS and substance misuse….
The value and importance of resilience, social support (often informal), and social ecology are highlighted in research on interventions with family members where substance misuse is an issue (Choi and Ryan, 2007, Orford et al., 2010a; Robertson and Haight, 2012) Complimentary approaches 9

10. FS and substance misuse
Family Support interventions are now included in drug and alcohol policies, with a focus on the support needs of the wider family (Adfam, 2010)
However in practice there are few supports/ practice interventions which specifically address the issue of misuse and its impact on wider family ((Robertson and Haight, 2012) 10

11. Wider context… for FS in Ireland
Welcome the work of the WRDATF & the development of the FS Strategy
DCYA, Policy Statement on
Parenting and Family Support (2015)
Tusla - Prevention, Partnership
and Family Support (PPFS), 2015 – 2018 11

12. Thank you carmel.devaney@nuigalway.ie12