Addiction
Addiction
Addiction
If you have an addiction, you’re not alone. According to the charity Action on Addiction, 1 in 3 people are addicted to something.
The NHS website defines addiction as not having control over doing, taking or using something to the point where it could be harmful to you. It is most commonly associated with gambling, drugs, alcohol and nicotine, but it’s possible to be addicted to just about anything.
The strain of managing an addiction can seriously damage your work life and relationships. In the case of substance misuse (for example, drugs and alcohol), an addiction can have serious psychological and physical effects. Addiction is treatable, so please speak to your GP or contact an organisation that specialises in helping people with addictions.
| Samaritans To speak to someone anonymously about any type of addiction Phone: 116 123 (free 24-hour helpline) www.samaritans.org.uk |
| Alcoholics Anonymous Phone: 0845 769 7555 (24-hour helpline) www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk |
| Gamblers Anonymous www.gamblersanonymous.org.uk |
| Narcotics Anonymous Phone: 0300 999 1212 (daily 10am to midnight) www.ukna.org Talk to Frank Phone: 0300 1236600 www.talktofrank.com/ Adfam A national charity working to improve life for families affected by drugs or alcohol. https://adfam.org.uk/help-for-families |
| Smokefree www.nhs.uk/smokefree Rehab4Addiction A guide to alcohol addiction treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic |
Parenting
Parenting
Parenting
Being a parent can be the best experience in the world, and the worst experience in the world – it depends on the day, the age of your children, and a few hundred other variables! Whilst there is a wealth of literature out there on parenting – there isn’t one reliable “book of instructions” that we can draw on for help and advice and we’re often left relying on friends and family for support in making the right choices for, and with, our children.
So we’re not attempting to provide a parenting guide here – we just wanted to signpost some of the organisations and resources that you might find helpful as a parent – either to get support for your child, or support for yourself.
| Family Lives Advice on all aspects of parenting including dealing with bullying. Phone: 0808 800 2222 (Mon to Fri, 9am to 9pm. Sat to Sun, 10am to 3pm) www.familylives.org.uk |
| Home-Start Home-Start is one of the leading family support charities in the UK. Home-Start volunteers help families with young children deal with the challenges they face. We support parents as they learn to cope, improve their confidence and build better lives for their children. www.home-start.org.uk/ |
| Crysis A charity offering help and support to parents with babies who cry excessively or have sleeping problems. www.cry-sis.org.uk/ |
| Young Minds Information on child and adolescent mental health. Services for parents and professionals. Phone: 0808 802 5544 (Mon to Fri, 9.30am to 4pm) www.youngminds.org.uk |
| Reachout ReachOut is a mentoring charity working with young people in disadvantaged communities to raise aspirations and help them grow in character and attainment www.reachout.com/about/ |
| Papyrus Young suicide prevention society. Phone: 0800 068 4141 (Mon to Fri,10am to 5pm & 7 to 10pm. Weekends 2 to 5pm) www.papyrus-uk.org |
| Eating Disorders Beat offers support around eating disorders Phone: 0808 801 0677 (adults) 0808 801 0711 (for under-18s) www.b-eat.co.ukwww.nationaleatingdisorders.org/ You can also find a useful interactive eating disorder questionnaire at rehab4addiction. This quiz is useful if you or a loved one is suspected of suffering from an eating disorder. https://www.rehab4addiction.co.uk/resources/eating-disorder-quiz |
| Support for parents of disabled children KIDS are a national charity providing a wide range of support services to disabled children, young people and their families. They support children with any disability from birth to 25 years of age. Phone: 0207 359 3635 (London) Phone: 07701 312863 (Medway/Sutton/Surrey) www.kids.org.uk/ |
| Parents Protect A charity helping parents and carers protect children from sexual abuse and exploitation. Phone: 0808 1000 900 https://www.parentsprotect.co.uk/ |
| NSPCC Children’s charity dedicated to ending child abuse and child cruelty. Phone: 0800 1111 for Childline for children (24-hour helpline) 0808 800 5000 for adults concerned about a child (24-hour helpline) www.nspcc.org.uk |
| Mencap Charity working with people with a learning disability, their families and carers. Phone: 0808 808 1111 (Mon to Fri, 9am to 5pm) www.mencap.org.uk |
Relationships
Relationships
Relationships
Most relationships have their ups and downs, and most of the time we’re able to navigate our way through them and find solutions that satisfy the needs of both parties. But, occasionally, things can be a bit more challenging, and we find ourselves needing a bit of support to resolve our difficulties.
| Relate Relate offers counselling services for every type of relationship nationwide. We provide advice on marriage, LGBT issues, divorce and parenting. www.relate.org.uk |
| Refuge Refuge supports women, children & men with a range of services, including refuges, independent advocacy, community outreach & culturally specific services. www.refuge.org.uk |
| TransUnite TransUnite is a comprehensive resource for people in the UK searching for support in the transgender community. Our easy to use, mobile friendly directory connects you to an established network of trans support groups near you. https://www.transunite.co.uk/ |
| Cruse Bereavement Care We offer support, advice and information to children, young people and adults when someone dies. www.cruse.org.uk |
Mental Health
Mental Health
Mental Health
Challenges can affect any one of us, at any time in our lives. Strengths, vulnerabilities and needs co-exist within everyone, and our individual response to change, stress and loss varies enormously.
Approximately 1 in 4 people in the UK will experience a mental health problem each year [1] and, in England, 1 in 6 people report experiencing a common mental health problem (such as anxiety and depression) in any given week [2].
It is vital that as practitioners we are mindful of, and attentive to, our own wellbeing, in order to provide the best possible support to our service users.
In this section, we’ve provided some useful support links for a range of mental health issues.
| Mind Promotes the views and needs of people with mental health problems. 0300 123 3393 (Mon to Fri, 9am to 6pm) www.mind.org.uk |
| Bipolar UK A charity helping people living with manic depression or bipolar disorder. www.bipolaruk.org.uk |
| Men’s Health Forum 24/7 stress support for men by text, chat and email. www.menshealthforum.org.uk |
| Anxiety UK Charity providing support if you’ve been diagnosed with an anxiety condition. 03444 775 774 (Mon to Fri, 9.30am to 5.30pm) www.anxietyuk.org.uk |
| Depression Alliance Charity for sufferers of depression. Has a network of self-help groups. www.depressionalliance.org |
| No Panic Support for sufferers of panic attacks and OCD 0844 967 4848 (daily, 10am to 10pm) www.nopanic.org.uk |
| Samaritans Confidential support for people experiencing feelings of distress or despair. 116 123 (free 24-hour helpline) www.samaritans.org.uk |
| SANE Emotional support, information and guidance for people affected by mental illness, their families and carers. SANEline: 0300 304 7000 (daily, 4.30 to 10.30pm) Textcare: comfort and care via text message, sent when the person needs it most: www.sane.org.uk/textcare Peer support forum: www.sane.org.uk/supportforum www.sane.org.uk/support |
| PAPYRUS Young suicide prevention society. 0800 068 4141 (Mon to Fri,10am-5pm &7-10pm. Weekends 2 to 5pm) www.youngminds.org.uk |
| CALM CALM is the Campaign Against Living Miserably, for men aged 15 to 35. 0800 58 58 58 (daily, 5pm to midnight) www.thecalmzone.net |
| Young Minds Information on child and adolescent mental health. Services for parents and professionals. 0808 802 5544 (Mon to Fri, 9.30am to 4pm) www.youngminds.org.uk |
| Mental Health Foundation Provides information and support for anyone with mental health problems or learning disabilities. www.mentalhealth.org.uk |
| OCD UK A charity run by people with OCD, for people with OCD. Includes facts, news and treatments. 0845 120 3778 (Mon to Fri, 9am to 5pm) www.ocduk.org |
| Rethink Mental Illness Support and advice for people living with mental illness. 0300 5000 927 (Mon to Fri, 9.30am to 4pm) www.rethink.org |
Urgent Support Options
Urgent Support Options
Urgent Support Options
| Samaritans Confidential support for people experiencing feelings of distress or despair. Phone: 116 123 (free 24-hour helpline) www.samaritans.org.uk |
| National Domestic Violence Helpline Phone: 0808 200 247 www.nationaldomesticviolencehelpline.org.uk |
| Mens Advice Line Advice and support for men experiencing domestic violence and abuse. Phone: 0808 801 0327 http://www.mensadviceline.org.uk |
| Women’s Aid Freephone 24 hr National Domestic Violence Helpline run in partnership between Women’s Aid and Refuge Phone: 0808 2000 247 helpline@womensaid.org.uk https://www.womensaid.org.uk/ |
| Alcoholics Anonymous Phone: 0845 769 7555 www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk |
| National Drugs Helpline – Call FRANK To speak to someone about your own, or somebody else’s alcohol or druguse. Phone: 0300 123 6600 SMS: 82111 www.talktofrank.com |
| National Gambling Helpline Phone: 0808 8020 133 www.begambleaware.org/confidential-help |
| National Debt-line Phone: 0808 808 4000 www.nationaldebtline.org |
| Family Lives A UK registered charity which offers advice, information and support on any aspect of parenting and family life. Phone: 0808 800 2222 (24 hour Parentline) www.familylives.org.uk/ |
Support for me
Support for me
In this section, we’ve provided information on a variety of issues that you might need support with – just click on the headings below to access our signposting links and other helpful resources.
Remember, it’s definitely worth having a chat with your manager if you are experiencing some difficulties – whether that’s at work or at home. It’s part of their job to support you and help you manage your own health and wellbeing as this will impact on your ability to perform your role, especially in a caring profession like social work.
If you really don’t feel able to talk with your manager, perhaps there’s another manager on a different team that you’d feel more comfortable discussing things with, or close colleague or friend. As they say, a problem shared is a problem halved and talking about a problem with someone else usually makes it seem less daunting or troubling.
There is no shame in asking for help; you spend your working life supporting others, so it’s only right that you get the support you need, when you need it.
Early Career Managers
Early Career Managers Programme
Cohort 1
This is a comprehensive and intensive learning programme that covers essential skills and knowledge for social work managers in the early stages of their career. It is designed for individuals who have recently been promoted or who are about to be promoted and are now responsible for managing colleagues or teams. It is also suitable for managers who have been in post for up to 18 months without any management training. It is the ideal development opportunity for managers or potential managers that an organisation has identified for fast track.
Names already confirmed
Day 1 – 26th March, Day 2 – 21st April, Day 3 – 30th April, Day 4 – 4th May, Day 5 – 17th May, Day 6-8 in handbook.
Free to Primary Members of the Partnership. Secondary Members £50 per participant.
Court Skills 1st March 2022
Court Skills
This is a course aimed at professionals, in particular, social workers whose role may bring them into the any of the various courts. It is an introduction to the different types of court and any differences in procedure and introduces the delegates to the other professionals they will meet in the court arena, their roles and status. Learning Objectives:
- To be able to prepare and deliver evidence confidently in the court setting, Understand the Public Law Outline (PLO),
- To understand the protocols used by various courts, To understand the protocols used by various courts,
- To have an increased knowledge of court systems and personnel ,
- To understand the requirements and skills required to present court reports and Understand the significance of the Social Worker’s report.
PRW 19th May 2021
PRW 19th May 2021
Topic – Analysing Qualitative data: Content analysis (TBC)
and an introduction to CMSWTP Research Project: What difference does a Parent and/or Connected Carer Participation Group make in local authority child protection, child in need and child looked after social work intervention? What helps or hinders setting up and working with an effective Parent and Connected Carer Participation Group? (Nigel Kelleher- EHU, Helen Lea – LCC, Eoanna Stathopoulos – EHU)
To register please click here: CMSWTP – Practitioner Research CPD Workshops 2021_2022 (onlinesurveys.ac.uk)