For referrers
We are here to help. We can provide you with information and advise you on how to approach the subject of substance misuse with a young person and/or their parents.
We offer:
- advocacy
- substitute prescribing
- one-to-one and group sessions
- motivational interviewing
- psychosocial interventions
Here is some general advice that may help you get started.
If the young person doesn’t want to talk about their substance use to you or a specialist service
This can be challenging to work with as you may notice changes in the young person’s behaviour and may see other areas of their life deteriorate or become difficult. This could be incorporated into a group work programme or by running a mini-campaign in your centre, school or drop-in or by leaving leaflets around. Using these methods, you may be able to provide the young person with enough information to start to think about their use in more detail and become curious about something they have read. Hopefully this will lead to an open dialogue, whether that is with you, another service, parents, carers or friends.
If the young person will talk about their substance use to you but doesn’t want to talk to a specialist service
This is very encouraging. The young person is accepting of the fact that they may need information on their substance use, has a good working relationship with you and feels comfortable talking to you about their issues. We can support you in working with these young people. We can give you ideas on what to talk about, what information is important to give and can suggest and provide various activities, resources and leaflets for you to use with the young person. We can also offer you consultation around working with a particular young person or a general substance misuse issue.It may be the case that they will never want to access a specialist service so it is important that you give them the right advice and information.
As time passes, some young people will begin to feel more comfortable and able to access a specialist service. It may be that we can work together to get the young person to the point that they feel comfortable by means of tailored sessions.
If the young person is willing to talk about their substance use to you and a specialist service
In this circumstance, please download our referral form below, and include information on the person’s substance misuse, how and when we can contact the young person, and details on their housing and family situation. We will see the young person where they feel most comfortable. They can bring along a parent, worker or friend for their first appointment. We can meet them at home, school, a youth club, café or at the office – the choice is the young person’s.
If you need any help with the referral, or if you are unsure whether to refer someone, please contact us for advice and guidance.
Consent
We need to ensure that we have consent to work with the young person that you are referring. We require consent from parents and the young person in most instances. There may be situations where the young person does not want their parents or carers to know that they will be receiving support from Wolverhampton 360. This may be okay, but in this instance please call us and discuss the case with a member of the team before making the referral.
Are you a young person who is referring yourself?
If you are a young person looking to refer yourself for support without the knowledge of your parents or guardians then please call us on 0300 123 33 60, or e-mail us and we can talk it through. We do, at times work with young people without the knowledge of their parents or guardians, but we need to be sure that you are old enough to make this choice and that we all understand the consequences of not telling your parents or guardians about the help and support you will receive.
Referral form
Please send referral to bsmhft.recoverynearyou@nhs.net.