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Substance Misuse Treatment Services (including Substance Misuse Screening Tool and Guidance)

Substance Misuse Treatment Services (including Substance Misuse Screening Tool and Guidance)

Related guidance

1. The Role of Substance Misuse Treatment Workers

  1. Substance misuse treatment workers are located in Safeguarding Teams and the Youth Offending Team. Their work, however, is not only with children or young people as part of a Child in Need Plan, Child Protection Plan, Care Plan or Pathway Plan but with other children and young people involved with other universal or targeted children's services or those young people not known to services;
  2. Within their role there are five prescribed types of intervention, which are:
    • To give advice on Single Assessments;
    • To undertake Single Assessments where substance misuse is the predominant presenting issue;
    • Where it is identified as necessary, to be a member of the Team Around the Family, including acting as the lead professional where substance misuse is the predominant presenting issue, and participate in the planning and review processes in relation to the child. NB This will be a time limited intervention usually for a period of 12 weeks;
    • Where services for substance misuse are identified as necessary and a treatment plan is considered appropriate but the treatment plan is declined or the treatment starts but does not finish, to remain involved in advising other professionals still involved in managing risk in their work with the young person;
    • Where children have identified lower level needs but do not require treatment, to support other professionals in their work with young people.
  3. In relation to all Single Assessments carried out in relation to children over 13, their substance misuse needs and the risks of substance misuse should be considered - through the use of a screening tool - in which case it will be recorded on Azeus that the screening tool has been completed;
  4. In relation to reviews of Child in Need Plans/Child Protection Plans for children after their 13th birthday, the child’s substance misuse needs and the risks of substance misuse should be considered - through the use of a screening tool - in which case it will be recorded on Azeus that the screening tool has been completed. See also Substance Misuse Screening Tool and Guidance;
  5. In relation to all Health Assessments carried out in relation to looked after children aged 13 or over, their substance misuse needs and the risks of substance misuse should be considered - through the use of a screening tool - in which case it will be recorded on Azeus that the screening tool has been completed. See also Substance Misuse Screening Tool and Guidance.

2. Treatment Provision

  1. Where residential treatment is identified as necessary, this will be referred to the Joint Commissioning Panel for approval;
  2. Where treatment is provided, the specialist substance misuse worker must ensure that data is recorded as required by the National Drug Treatment Monitoring Service, and send the Business and Commissioning service quarterly monitoring reports on the dates required. A monitoring form is available for this purpose;
  3. Specialist supervision will be provided by a clinical psychologist where required in addition to the usual supervision by the line manager;
  4. At the point where the service ends whether in a planned or unplanned way, the Substance Misuse Service will obtain service user feedback from the child, family and other professionals involved.

Last Updated: December 1, 2023

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