Feedback from the YoDAA network suggests that on the back of the rise in public awareness and concern regarding methamphetamine use Youth AOD workers are now, more than ever, working with families as an effective way to help young people.

Youth AOD workers recognise that drug related problems are not simply individual disorders or similar but are instead caused by a complex mix of factors at different levels of a young person’s life. It follows then that intervening at an individual, family, school, or even community level can all have positive effects in both preventing problems form emerging and  helping young people manage drug related problems.

Youth AOD workers in YoDAA’s network have been reporting for quite some time that even when young people themselves may be a little reluctant to commit to regular contact with agencies, working at the family level, strengthening the family’s capacity to provide good support care and understanding is an effective option.

Traditionally, and very generally, family work has been somewhat of a blind spot for youth AOD workers who were afraid embark on “Family therapy”.  Stopping well short of Family therapy, Youth AOD workers are still providing information and education and building the capacity and motivation of families to be effective carers and supporters of young people.

Check out the Youth AOD toolbox as a great resource for understanding Family work in a Youth AOD context.