A partnership of Scottish family support organisations has launched a new national report on the experiences of families affected by alcohol and drugs. ‘Ask the Family!’ found that each person using alcohol or drugs was harming on average 11 other people around them, and that families facing this harm are waiting an average of 8 years to reach support for themselves.
Through a national survey and a number of creative activities and events, we asked children, young people and adult family members to tell us about their experiences of family support, and about how good family support looks and feels for them. We talked to family members who were affected by someone else’s alcohol or drug use, and family members who were using substances or in recovery themselves.
This project was funded by the Scottish Government as part of national work to improve support for whole families.
The national ‘Ask the Family!’ survey ran online for three weeks earlier this year. It was targeted at people aged 16+ years who were already engaging with family support due to the impact of alcohol or drugs on their families.
On average, at the time of the survey, family members had been affected by problem substance use (either their own or someone else’s) for 16 years. It took them an average of 8 years before they reached family support for the first time. (Note that this was not necessarily good support or the right support, but was just the first family support they reached). Survey respondents felt every single type of relationship was harmed by the alcohol or drug use, including parents, partners, children (including adult children), siblings, extended family, friends, neighbours and work colleagues. On average, respondents counted that 11 people had been harmed by each individual’s alcohol or drug use across their family and other relationships.
The creative engagement activities found that children, young people and adult family members all have a clear idea of what good family support means and the difference this can make to their lives. This includes workers they can trust, who spend time with them and stick with them, who show respect rather than judgement, and who help them look ahead with hope and positivity, as well as the chance to connect with other family members who share their experience.
However although family members were clear on what mattered to them, and what worked for them, they were also clear that it had taken too long to find support, and that there is not enough support available for families harmed by alcohol and drugs.
Justina Murray, CEO, stated:
“In recent years we have heard repeated calls for better funding for treatment, care and support for people using alcohol and drugs, and we support such additional investment. However this must be matched by equitable funding for the families harmed by such substance use.
Our Ask the Family research found that each person using alcohol or drugs was harming an average of 11 other people around them, and that families facing this harm are waiting an average of 8 years to reach support for themselves. This cannot continue.
There are good examples of high quality family support in Scotland but, as families have told us directly, there is nowhere near enough of it to go around to meet the need. We are calling for significant, sustained and strategic investment in high quality family support for children, young people and adult family members harmed by Scotland’s longstanding relationship with alcohol and drugs. This must reach right across the country so all families can get the support they need as soon as they need it.”
Ask the Family was a partnership project between Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs, Action for Children, Circle and All in the Family.
Key findings:
- The survey covered all age groups and mainland areas of Scotland (we had no responses from island health board areas).
- On average, at the time of the survey, family members had been affected by problem substance use (either their own or someone else’s) for 16 years.
- And on average it took them 8 years before they reached family support for the first time – so an average 8 year wait. (Note that this was not necessarily good support or the right support, but was just the first family support they reached).
- Only one in eight (13%) reached support within a year, whereas over a third had to wait for up to five years (36% waited 1-5 years) or up to 15 years (34% waited 6-15 years). The longest wait was 35 years.
- Survey respondents felt every single type of relationship was harmed by the alcohol or drug use, including parents, partners, children (including adult children), siblings, extended family, friends, neighbours and work colleagues.
- On average, respondents counted that 11 people had been harmed by each individual’s alcohol or drug use across their family and other relationships.
- 81% of people felt that ‘Whole Family Support’ means that everyone in the family who needs it (including adults and children) should get a different kind of support, depending on their needs.
- This was 5 times higher than the percentage who felt different family members should get the same support at the same time (16%). Just 1% of people felt only adults or only children should be supported. No-one thought that only those using substances should be supported.
LINK TO THE ASK THE FAMILY REPORT AND VIRTUAL EXHIBITION: https://www.sfad.org.uk/ask-the-family