The views and opinions expressed below do not reflect the views of the NCCDP.

Sorted

History of the Organisation

Date it was established:

Fully Operational from October 2000

Statutory or voluntary?

Statutory service placed within Children’s Service

Why was it established?

In response to the needs assessment carried out by two development workers employed in Northumberland as from 1998.

Responding to the HAS four tier model and guidance document for substance misuse services for young people.

In response to the Governments ten year drugs strategy.

What are your aims?

To provide information, advice, support, treatment and care for young people under the age of eighteen who reside in Northumberland.

How has the organisation developed?

Essentially the service was developed as a tier three treatment service working with young people with complex needs in terms of their substance use. The preventative side of the service is still very much in it’s infancy and  embraces street work, group work and drop-in work encouraging young people to access information about substances and referral routes to the tier three service. A dedicated worker is in post addressing the needs of young people in the looked after system and Sorted have a developing young carers service consisting of two workers. Sorted also host   two workers working within the YOS dedicated to interventions at tier 2 and tier 3.

Types of projects undertaken and associated activities  

Who is the project for?

For all young people in Northumberland under the age of 18 and support for professionals working directly with young people in the county.

How are people referred?

Referral forms.
Duty system
Via drop-in facility
Freephone number

What kind of activities are available?  

One to one support
Referral to other agencies
Group work activities – basic drug and alcohol awareness
Informal contact through drop-in
Street work intervention and development of diversionary activities
Access to clinical intervention

How often do people attend?   

Dependant on the type of intervention.

How do you design your interventions (with reference to the evidence base?) 

Sorted have an extensive library of recognised educational packs that can be accessed according to need. However, the prevention team responds to the needs of the groups of young people and adapt activities that will easily engage with the particular groups and respond to the issues discussed within the group.

The drop-in facilities and outreach nature of the service is in direct response to local research carried out with young people who identify the need for easy access to informal information and points of contact for self-referral.

What challenges have you faced?

How to investigate  the effectiveness of prevention work.
Lack of understanding within Children’s Services as to the effectiveness of prevention work when historically Social work ethos is around responding to crisis.

Short term funding within a new and innovative team. 

How have you overcome these challenges?

Attempts at monitoring systems that demonstrate the impact of prevention work. Particularly relevant within the CDRP forums.

Identifying opportunities and responding to those opportunities to promote evidence of good practice within the Children’s Services arena.

The production of papers promoting evidence of initiatives that have demonstrated success.

How do you think drug prevention will develop in the future?   

Drug services need to adopt an approach to prevention that encompasses methods of work recognised within the youth work ethos.

The “binge drinking” culture of young people needs to dictate a return to good quality street work interventions that co-exist with robust detached youth services.

Harm reduction messages need to be embraced within the established school based  drugs education.

Any other comments?

None