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Meeting of the Parliament 21 June 2012

21 Jun 2012 · S4 · Meeting of the Parliament

Item of business

Families

McInnes, Alison LD North East Scotland Watch on SPTV

I, too, thank the Conservatives for using their debating time this morning to highlight the role of families who are in recovery from drug abuse and—in particular—to highlight the work of the Grampian Family Support Forum. Nanette Milne has been steadfast in her support of its work and she has put its case well this morning. As another North East Scotland MSP, I am pleased to be able to speak in support of her motion, and will also support both amendments.

The Grampian Family Support Forum was established only a couple of years ago, but has already proved its worth. We all recognise that recovery from drug addiction is possible. We need to develop end-to-end support for people who face drug and alcohol problems by building closer links between community, in-patient and residential treatment and rehabilitation providers. Crucially, there must be close working between addiction services and aftercare providers so that individuals are not cast adrift when their treatment ends. Scottish Liberal Democrats believe that local people know best, and we would give local areas and organisations, including family support groups, the freedom to design and jointly commission drug and alcohol services to ensure that they meet local needs.

On-going support in the community is essential for the recovery journey and often includes mutual aid and other peer support. Those who have conquered their own addictions can contribute a huge amount of experience and support to those who are still battling addiction. We would like to see those who are in recovery being given the opportunity to give something back. We think that there would be a significant benefit in there being local networks of recovery champions. Such peer networks would involve those who are in recovery mentoring and providing support to individuals who are making their way through the recovery process.

We would like the Government to encourage local areas to develop and promote a whole-family approach to the delivery of recovery services, and to consider greater provision of support services for families and carers in their own right. That is where the work of the Grampian Families Support Forum can lead the way. The forum works closely with Scottish Families Affected by Drugs, which estimates that 24,000 family members are affected by loved ones’ drugs misuse in the Grampian region alone. Our families are, in so many circumstances, the lifeline that we rely on when we face difficulties. The particular tensions that drugs misuse brings to families can stretch that lifeline to breaking point, but there are still many barriers that prevent family members from seeking support for themselves, so the primary challenge is in breaking down those barriers.

Learning to cope with a loved one’s dependency, finding space to take care of oneself and the rest of the family, and overcoming the stigma that is associated with drug misuse, which other members have spoken about, can be overwhelmingly difficult. That is why support for families is vital and should not be an afterthought. I have no doubt that mutual support from local people with first-hand experience can be an immense support. There is much that we can learn from the Grampian Family Support Forum, and I hope that other parts of Scotland will benefit from their experience.

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