Blue Light training for Social Workers

Richmond and Wandsworth public health team have asked Alcohol Change UK to deliver a series of one day course on working with high impact problem drinkers. Please note this course is for staff who work in or who serve Wandsworth and Richmond.

One day Blue Light training programme

This course is a vital contribution to the continuing professional development of people who:

• work in alcohol services; &

• work in non-alcohol specialist settings but who encounter people with alcohol problems in the course of their work, whether this is in health, social care, housing and homelessness services or the criminal justice system.

Aim

At any one time the majority of problem drinkers are not engaged in services, and of those who do engage approximately 50% will quickly drop out.   Specialist alcohol services have traditionally worked with people who are motivated to change.   However, research evidence suggests that those who drop out are likely to be among the more risky or vulnerable individuals.   This course will help participants:

•To work more effectively with change resistant drinkers.

Training Objectives

By the end of this course participants will be able to:

• Identify change resistant clients who need to be targeted;

• Understand the rationale for attempting to intervene with this client group;

• Understand in greater detail the physical and psychological effects of alcohol

• Be able to use the “assessing barriers to change” framework;

• Understand the range of techniques available for use with this group including risk management, nutrition and harm reduction approaches;

• Be able to use the 12 questions tool

• Understand the legal powers available to manage this client group including the new anti-social framework

• Formulate a realistic intervention plan for a treatment resistant drinker.