Understanding the extent to which a young person’s use of drugs or alcohol is effecting their health means understanding more than just what they use and how much. The harms and impacts of use are what counts.

Exploring the harms associated with a young person’s substance use can be tricky. Understanding why the young person uses drugs can be a good start.

This worksheet also helps focus on the harms rather than just the level of use. You can complete with the young person if you feel a young person is able to disclose this information or alternatively use the questions and prompts to help you explore a young person’s needs over time. This will allow you to capture a greater picture about the young person’s wellbeing.

Identifying risks helps both you and the young person to make assessments about the links between their substance use and their wellbeing. The information that you gather here will also give you an idea about where urgent intervention or referral to other services may need to take place.