|
be supporting a loved one with a dual diagnosis .
We have always believed in working in partnership with others and sharing expertise and knowledge , and our training courses attract participants from across health and social care sectors . We have also achieved success with our policy and influencing work , with families included in the Drug and alcohol treatment and recovery workforce transformation programme , the Commissioning quality standard , and the ten-year drug strategy . Previously , families would not have been mentioned or considered , but because of Adfam ’ s persistence and resolve in the policy sphere , this is now changing .
SPECIFIC NEEDS
We still need to see more recognition of families within existing health services , with their specific needs integrated across all welfare services , says Viv , ‘ And ultimately , we need more recognition across society , with more sympathy and understanding , and less stigma .’
While there are 5m people affected by this issue in the UK , shame and stigma keeps people hidden in plain sight . ‘ Whilst we ’ ve come a long way there ’ s still more to be done ,’ she says . ‘ We want to give people the agency and opportunity , the courage , to speak out , because only then will we get the real change that we want .’
|
While lots has changed , the need for support for families hasn ’ t gone away and never will . Needs have become more complex ...
POWER OF PEER SUPPORT Rose , a member of Adfam ’ s Lived Experience Advisory Group , told Adfam how peer support meant everything to her .
Rose ’ s daughter has had serious alcohol problems since a young age and the effect of this on Rose and her other three children has been devastating . As the chaos escalated she tried to control her daughter ’ s drinking , while attempting to cope with the effects of her behaviour and get her the help she needed .
At that time there was a distinct lack of recognition for families . Even when her daughter was engaging with support services , those services did not want to engage with Rose at all or involve her in her daughter ’ s support .
Her other children were badly affected too , with her youngest daughter frequently bearing the brunt of the aggression and abusive behaviour . As a result , she ran away from home on several occasions in her mid-teens to try to escape , while her younger son withdrew completely , shutting himself
|
in his bedroom . When social services got involved , this added further complexity to an already challenging situation .
Struggling to deal with the situation , Rose felt isolated , overwhelmed , and desperate , with no one to talk to . She knew that she couldn ’ t be the only person experiencing this and went about a fact-finding mission to see what was there for families in her local area . She met with the local council and also came across Adfam ’ s guide on setting up a family support group , which gave her the idea of establishing a group in her area .
Like many grassroots organisations she had to build from almost nothing and started by printing and displaying leaflets , while her son helped her design a basic website . She then liaised with a local alcohol support service and was able to use a room at their building for free , one evening a week .
Gradually the word got around , and it started to take off – a vibrant , close-knit family peer support group where family members could meet others with similar experiences . The group met almost every week for about eight years . Members supported each other through all their ups and downs , hopes , and despairs . They were there for each other , no matter what .
Listening to others with similar experiences helped Rose put her own situation into perspective : ‘ The relief of being able to talk to other people who understand the chaos , and understand what you ’ re going through and get it , provides you with that reassurance ,’ she says .
|
‘ Family support also gives you the strength to put yourself first and not sacrifice everything for your family member ,’ she adds . ‘ It gives you the encouragement that you actually matter .’
A couple of young women who came along were living with partners who were violent and abusive towards them . Through the group they were encouraged to put themselves and their safety first , and to get in touch with the local domestic violence services so they could get that support they needed .
HOPES FOR THE FUTURE Rose ’ s group came to an end during COVID , but members had already gained so much from each other and felt it was time to move on with their lives . Since then Rose has noticed a positive shift within services , with more willingness to talk to family members . When her daughter relapsed last summer , she was able to refer to Rose as someone supporting her that the service could engage with – an open approach that made a huge difference .
But there is still a burden placed on family members – they are viewed more in terms of recovery capital and someone able to support their loved one , rather than people needing support in their own right .
‘ We need much more of a whole-family approach that talks to families , finds out where they stand , and what they can do and can ’ t do ,’ Rose says . ‘ Don ’ t just write us into your care plan without asking us !’
Robert Stebbings is policy and communications lead at Adfam
|