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 Reach Support – ASM(Q) 16 / Tystiolaeth gan Reach Support – ASM(Q) 16

Inquiry into alcohol and substance misuse

Survey Consultation Response

Organisation: Reach Support

Questionnaire

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

Adults, particularly those with Learning Disabilities and Autism.

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.

§ A way to deal with stress;

§ Mental health;

§ Relieve social anxiety;

§ Self-medication;

§ Escapism.

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?

People with Learning Disabilities who have difficulties putting into words or communicating how the feel.

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.)

Stress or loss of a relative.

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

§ Communication difficulties;

§ Difficulty finding out about services available due to being unable to read and find out about them;

§ Confidence levels;

§ Not understanding what the service entails.

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

§ Holding support services in a place that a client wouldn’t feel anxious about attending;

§ Perhaps providing the service in client’s homes would be a good idea.

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

§ People not understand the effects of alcohol and substance misuse;

§ Breaking someone’s routine e.g. trying to encourage someone who has autism to stop drinking alcohol can be difficult because it has become part of their routine and they do not cope well with change;

§ Trying to make changes in a short space of time;

§ Information about help and support being provided in a written format which cannot be understood.

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

Support groups and activities for people to along to without having to actually make a plan to quit drinking.

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

Newport

Contact Details

Reach Support