Case studies
Back to previous pageProtecting children, supporting parents
Project: IMPACT
NDS theme: Treatment
Organisation: Cambridgeshire Social Services
Who funds it? Cambridgeshire Social Services, CAD
Who can use it? Parents living in Cambridge
Contact Name: Warwick Tomsett
Tel/email: 01480 376 449 warwick.tomsett@cambridgeshire.gov.uk
Background/what the project does
This project, which began in 2002, provides intensive family support for Class A drug users with children. The services is aimed at families where there are very real concerns that without support the family will break up and the children will be taken into local authority care.
The Impact team takes referrals from area social services teams concerned that parents' drug use is placing children at risk. They are able to move quickly to support parents, with the aim of preventing children entering care. Practical help, like collecting children from school, is combined with linking the parents into local treatment services and helping them to break links with the drug network.
A member of the team builds a relationship with the family, supported by other staff at times of crisis. Aftercare is an important part of the project - the support can become long-term by transferring families from the project to other family support services within the county.
What makes it different
The project is focused on parents, many of them with young children. By providing practical help and support at a critical time, the team are able to either avoid removing children from the family, or to assess and act quickly when this is unavoidable. The aftercare service means that even when parents aren't able to respond to the support, the team continue to work with the family towards returning the children from care.
Quotes
"We know that there will be a pattern to how parents respond. Their ups and downs are linked to their drug use. We also know that all parents with drug misuse problems will need long-term help, after we have dealt with the crisis situation. What's special about the Impact project is that because we are linked to other family support services, we can continue to work with them: one of our families has had the children removed to care for a short period but we are working with the parents and we are close to returning the children. Because we have built a relationship with the parents we can do this kind of work."
Last Updated: 29/07/2003
