National Family Support Network
11.11.14
The Model and the Method
• The experience of family members in the
research was very familiar
• Certain nuances but overall a picture of
similarity
• Non-judgmental, non-pathologising, nondirective, empowering, pragmatic and just for
family members
Working in Partnership
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Is it possible to train members of the FSN to a standard that they could then go on to deliver the 5-Step Method training?
How many would it be possible to train in that way?
Would you be able to come to Ireland to deliver that training?
How long would that take?
How much would that cost?
If we were to go on to deliver the 5-step method training here what quality standards would we need to have in place?
How long does it take to train people in the method?
Would participants need to have certain qualifications or experience before they could do the training?
Would people be certified in the method after receiving the training?
Would they need to provide evidence to you of completion of the training?
Would they need to record or do a number of interventions using the method and feed this back?
What are the costs associated with delivering this training? Do people normally pay a contribution to cover the costs to do
this training?
What are the actions that would need to be taken in order to deliver the training?
What are the numbers of trainees per year?
How will the programme be evaluated?
How much for consultant costs including travel etc?
How much for the evaluation? How much for ongoing evaluations?
How many sessions – cost implications?
Will you need to do a training needs analysis?
Will there be costs for materials?
How does it improve the long-term employability of trainees?
How does it add value through collaboration with relevant stakeholders?
How does the training demonstrate innovative methodologies?
Working in Partnership
Shared Values
• Reaching family members
• Supporting family members
• Providing a quality service
• Increasing worker & volunteer confidence
• Becoming self-sustaining
• Measuring effectiveness and continued learning
Benefits to Family Members
• Increase availability of family support service provision across
the country (range of professionals)
• A structured intervention that has been developed to meet their
needs
• The use of an evidence based intervention with proven results
for reducing stress and strain
• Working with people who are confident in their use of the
intervention
• Using resources that are relevant and designed specifically for
them
Benefits to Services
• Having a service to offer family members
• Providing a quality service – consistency, quality control
measures, measure outcomes
• Increasing worker & volunteer confidence – getting feedback on
your sessions, being assessed
• The opportunity to engage with FMs, build relationships and
respond to additional needs
• FMs become an integral element in the provision of services and
in supporting the drug using family member
• Financial investment is not large
• Due to a self-sustaining – Irish framework it is not as vulnerable
to staff turnover
5-Step Method & National Policy
Recommendations of Report of Working Group on Rehabilitation
(May 2007):
Recommendations 4.2
Service providers should be trained to deal with families who are trying to
cope with drug-related problems of a family member.
Families should be seen as service users in their own right, given that they
often have a direct role in the recovery process. Information, support and
advice should be made available to parents (and others as appropriate)
who are coping with a family members drug misuse. Family members
need to informed in a timely manner of the different stages of the recovery
process.
The potential of the involvement of the family in supporting drug users
should be utilised.
5-Step Method & National Policy
National Drugs Strategy (2009 – 2016)
Action 29
Develop a series of prevention measures that focus on the family under the
following programme headings:
supports for families experiencing difficulties due to drug/alcohol use;
targeted measures focusing on the children of problem drug and/or alcohol users
aimed at breaking the cycle and safeguarding the next generation.
Report of the National Substance Misuse Working Group (Feb 2012)
Action 12
Develop a comprehensive outcomes and evidence-based approach to addressing
the needs of children and families experiencing alcohol dependency problems.
This would involve a whole-family approach, including the provision of supports
and services directly to children where necessary.
Action 14
Develop family support services, including:
Access to information about addiction and the recovery process for family
members;
Peer-led family support groups to help families cope with problematic drinking;
Evidence-based family and parenting skills programmes;
The Future of 5-Step in
Ireland
Training
• 110 trained
• Working with those 110 to submit their tapes
• A waiting list already for future training and Siobhan from the NFSN was
taking further names this morning
• Training further assessors
• Collaborating with other organisations to roll out training with their
groups – Pavee Point, Social Workers, FRCs
Research
• FMQ – Pre and post assessment – Collate the Irish FMQs to measure
effectiveness of intervention in Ireland
• Measuring effectiveness and continued learning – what are the outcomes
for FMs in Ireland? How can we adapt and improve on what we do?
• Greater engagement with FMs builds our understanding over potential
research gaps in this area
A Vision for Family
Support in Ireland
History
• Maintaining peer leadership
Where we are now?
• Peer led family support groups
• A National Family Support Network
• Recognition of the need to support FMs in their own right & an evidence
based intervention to achieve that
• Recognition of the need and benefits of including FMs in their relative’s
rehabilitation & evidence based interventions to support that
• Addressing the additional needs of FMs
• Parenting supports available, if required, for drug users
Where to from here?
• Growing recognition and planning in terms of addressing the needs of
children affected by parental substance misuse
• NDRIC – Assessments, care plans and training
• E.U. Leaders – Reporting on our work
5-Step Method Accredited Trainer
Marie Conor
The Snug Counselling Service
5-Step Method Accredited Trainer
Paul Browne
Ballymun
Family Support Service
5-Step Method Accredited Trainer
Breda Fell
South East Regional Family Support Network
5-Step Method Accredited Trainer
Sadie Grace
National Family Support Network
5-Step Method Accredited Trainer
Ger Hanlon
Dun Laoghaire Rathdown
Community Addiction Team
5-Step Method Accredited Trainer
Michael Mason
DAISH Project, Bray
5-Step Method Accredited Trainer
Gwen McKenna
North East Region
Family Support Network
5-Step Method Accredited Trainer
Liam Oloughlin – Western Region Drug &
Alcohol Task Force
5-Step Method Accredited Trainer
Megan O’Leary
National Family Support Network
5-Step Method Accredited Trainer
Siobhan Maher
National Family Support Network
Questions and Answers
National Family Support Network,
5 Gardiner Row,
Dublin 1
(01) 898 0148
info@fsn.ie
www.fsn.ie