National Assembly for Wales / Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru
Health and Social Care Committee / Y Pwyllgor Iechyd a Gofal Cymdeithasol

Inquiry into alcohol and substance misuse / Ymchwiliad i gamddefnyddio alcohol a sylweddau

Evidence from Hafan Cymru – ASM(Q) 06 / Tystiolaeth gan Hafan Cymru – ASM(Q) 06

Inquiry into alcohol and substance misuse

Survey Consultation Response

Organisation: Hafan Cymru

Questionnaire

01. Which client group(s) do you work with? (For example, under 18s, older persons, homeless, or female only)

16 – 21 year olds, homeless, receiving floating support both male and female, supported housing female only, receiving floating support in own homes.

02. What are the main reasons why your clients take drugs or drink excessively?  Please tick all that apply.

If you work with more than one client group or you feel that there are other reasons as to why your clients take drugs or drink excessively, please comment in the box below.

§ Peer pressure;

§ Client’s already substance reliant;

§ Mental health;

§ Environmental factors (for example – excessive drinking and/or drugs normalised in the home/community)

§ Self-medication.

03. Are there certain groups of people who are more likely to be affected by drugs and excessive drinking? If so, which groups might they be?

Both male and female 16 – 21 years.

04. Does a particular stage of your clients’ lives influence their likelihood of taking drugs or drinking excessively? If so, what stage might that be? (i.e. age, relationship breakdown, unemployment etc.)

Most of the young people who I work with started experimenting with cannabis at the age of 12 – 13 years.

05. What barriers exist for your client(s) when trying to access support and services?

For many it is denial, about the effects of the drugs and alcohol have on them, they say “It’s OK, it helps”.

06. What barriers exist for services when trying to access support for client(s)?

Waiting times.

07. What do you consider to be barriers for staff and frontline services in working with your client group(s), or substance misuse generally?

Clients not attending appointments.

08. Where do you think efforts should be targeted to address the issue of alcohol and substance misuse in Wales?

Hard hitting add campaign, damaged caused by alcohol and the effect that both illegal and legal highs have on the brain.

09. In which local authority area do you work? If you work outside of Wales, please write your local authority area below.

Pembrokeshire.

Contact Details

Helen Williams

Hafan Cymru

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