Will I be involved in treatment?

If a young person you care about is getting professional help or support, it is understandable that you would want to be involved or know as much as possible.

Youth AOD services aim to work collaboratively with young people, families and carers wherever it is appropriate, safe and consistent with the young person’s wishes and rights. Workers also understand that where a family is in a position to support a young person, family support and inclusion of the family is shown to promote better outcomes.

It is also important to be aware that there are serious privacy considerations that youth support and youth AOD support workers must adhere to, which at times may leave families feeling somewhat excluded.  

Workers will often encourage young people to involve trusted family members, carers or supporters in their care where this may be helpful, and it is often shown to improve a young person’s capacity to gain control over their drug or alcohol use.

Where a young person agrees, information may be shared and families may be involved in discussions about support and planning. The level of family involvement will vary depending on the young person’s age, circumstances, capacity to make decisions about their support, and any privacy or safety considerations but some ideas are:

• Provide information to you 
• Provide education about young people and drugs 
• Offer support with communication skills 
• Support you with family problem-solving skills 
• Discuss appropriate limit setting 
• Help by holding or facilitating family meetings 

Whatever the actual tasks a service undertakes with you the broad aims of a youth AOD service are to:

• Engage you in the support and care of a young person as much as possible 
• Motivate you and other family/carers to be a support for a young person 
• Build your capacity to provide emotional and practical support for a young person
• Encourage the value of supportive family relationships in their work with your young person. 

Even when a service is unable to share information about a young person’s care, families and carers can still access support, especially via YoDAA. We can provide general information about what a service supports with, safer alcohol and other drug use, options to reduce harm to a young person, and supports available to families and carers. Support is also available to help family members explore concerns, better understand a young person’s experiences, and navigate the emotions and challenges that often arise when supporting someone affected by alcohol or other drug use: