How investing in family relationships can transform recovery services
In our latest post, Alison Ede, Lead Network Coach for Families and Concerned Others at our West Sussex service, explains her vision for the development of family services.
Family involvement improves recovery
Families can be hugely damaged by the chaos and trauma of addiction, but in our experience getting families involved in recovery services can achieve amazing outcomes. A treatment model that includes families and concerned others can rebuild fractured relationships, improve trust and communication and help families heal and stay together.
Family and concerned others are a valuable asset and hidden resource for recovery services and we believe funders of social care and supported housing services could achieve so much more if they invested in this model of intervention. We are currently working in our supported houses in West Sussex to find ways of using the skills and experiences of families to promote sustainable recovery and achieve these gains.
Rebuilding family relationships
Our vision is for a structured recovery and reintegration model with a whole person approach that includes the wider family both as a recovery resource and a group to be supported. The process of reintegration and recovery involves looking at issues of communication and trust, discussing the impact of previous lifestyle on family and concerned others and thinking about how to rebuild relationships and move forward. The support of family members in this process will help build self-esteem, improve physical and mental health and enhance overall wellbeing for the service user and their wider family or social group.
If you are interested in finding out more about this topic there are some excellent resources at Revolving Doors that explore both the whole person approach and the role of the whole family in treatment services.
A model of family support
Around three quarters of our supported housing residents are in contact with family members which indicates a wish to involve family members in their lives. We are building consent into our assessment procedures so we can talk to supported housing residents about what they want from family work and get their permission to discuss their treatment with relatives and concerned others.
Aspirations
Our model is developing but is likely to involve training a team of family coaches to deliver peer-led groups and provide one-to-one wellbeing support over the phone or by meeting up for coffee. Family coaches will support people to step out of their comfort zone and try a new activity or revisit lost hobbies to build their confidence and social capital. They will be recruited from families who have had personal experience of dealing with a loved one’s addiction. We will also encourage family and friends to visit their loved ones in our supported houses and support them to meet new challenges.
Maximising recovery resources
There are clear benefits to developing family support as an additional resource for supported housing services to promote recovery, social inclusion and empowerment. Whilst this model may not be suitable for everyone, we believe there are many families whose closer involvement could significantly improve the outcome of recovery services and improve the health and wellbeing of individuals in treatment and their wider social and family circle.
