Aims and objectives
Young people often do not see their substance use as problematic. We aim to provide a safe environment for young people to explore their beliefs and feelings around all forms of substances from legal highs, cigarettes/alcohol, to recreational illegal drugs ranging from cannabis and mephedrone (bubble) to heroin/ crack cocaine.
In addition to offering awareness sessions to those referred to the Youth Offending Team (YOT), we also screen and assess each young person in order to help identify specific substance misuse problems. These assessments can then be used to help identify what interventions are needed and any specific considerations that should be addressed within the support plans of individuals.
What is available?
One-to-one sessions
These can range from a one-off session to an individually-tailored programme that can be delivered on a frequency that suits the needs of the young person. Typically the young person is given the opportunity to explore:
- Physical and psychological health risks
- Drugs and the law, including a young person’s rights and responsibilities
- Addressing social and economical reasons for substance misuse
- Harm reduction strategies to reduce substance misuse in a structured and planned way
- Motivational interviewing to bring about change
- Cultural beliefs on substances.
For those acknowledging concerns regarding their substance use, sessions aim to identify strategies to enable young people to reduce and manage their substance use in a safe way. Such sessions aim to highlight alternative lifestyle choices and modify behaviours to achieve more positive outcomes for each young person.
Guidance
Educational workshops
We provide educational workshops to targeted groups of young people to deliver original and dynamic sessions while communicating very important messages. These workshops incorporate informative materials that are adapted to suit the age and understanding of the groups we are working with.
We use a range of materials including DVDs, real life examples, interactive games and discussion. Our workshops and programmes cover topics such as legal highs, cannabis, alcohol, heroin and cocaine/crack.
The learning objectives of these sessions typically cover:
- young people being able to recognise negative effects and consequences of misusing substances
- young people being able to make informed choices
- young people becoming aware of how to minimise the risks of engaging in the misuse of substances.
Summary of Services
We offer:
- Individually tailored one-to-one support for young people
- Structured sessions for both preventative and statutory cases
- Educational workshops for targeted groups
- Relapse prevention and harm minimisation strategies for substance users
- Information and advice to parents and carers of young people involved in the use of substances.
Complaints
If you have any complaints about the service you receive, please take this up in the first instance with your YOT officer. If you remain dissatisfied please write to:
Slough Youth Offending Team
Observatory House
25 Windsor Road
Slough
SL1 2EL
Contact us
See address above
Phone: 01753 522 702
Email: yoteam@sloughchildrenfirst.co.uk
Web: www.sloughchildrenfirst.co.uk
Slough YOT aims to provide a service that is fair to everyone. We will not accept racist, sexist, other offensive remarks or behaviour from staff members or young people.
We also want a healthy work place, so smoking is not allowed in our offices. We will not see people if they are under the influence of alcohol or drugs.