Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs: Have your say on how we can reduce harm in West Dunbartonshire
Community Engagement undertaken November 2019 to March 2020
Why did we do this community engagement?
This community engagement was designed to enable local people and service users to share their views to inform the Substance Use Prevention Strategy and associated delivery plan. This work is part of West Dunbartonshire Alcohol and Drugs Partnership (ADP) and involves partners across Community Planning.
What did we want to know?
The aim was to:
Timescales
The community engagement exercise was launched during Co-production Week Scotland 18-22 November 2019 https://coproweek.coproductionscotland.org.uk/ and ran until the end of February 2020.
Engagement Activities
There were a range of engagement activities designed to be inclusive across all members of the community, including workshops and online survey.
Findings
Prevention and Early Intervention
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Workshops |
Survey |
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Respondents felt that the priorities should be having more positive alternative activities, preventing adults buying alcohol or tobacco for young people and community-led activity to tackle alcohol and drug issues. |
Respondents felt having more positive alternative activities and education for young people should be a priority. |
Developing Recovery Oriented Systems of Care
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Workshops |
Survey |
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Respondents felt very strongly that improved recovery options and access to support (for individuals who need it) should be a priority, with the hope of preventing alcohol related and drug related deaths. |
Respondents felt strongly that people who needed and wanted more support should have it when they need it, for as long as they need it. |
Getting it Right for Children, Young People and Families
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Workshops |
Survey |
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Respondents felt strongly that there should be more support for parents, carers and families, with some respondents uncertain on who to turn to for support. It was also reported that parental drinking was normal for young people to see and that parents providing alcohol in the home was viewed as an acceptable way of controlling their child/young person’s drinking behaviour. An underpinning factor that was strongly voiced was the need to address the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people. |
Respondents felt children of families affected by substance use need support along with the person directly affected. It was also felt that alcohol and tobacco use was seen as a 'normal behaviour', and it was important to educate and change this culture. |
A Public Health Approach to Justice
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Workshops |
Survey |
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Respondents felt that where possible diverting people from the criminal justice system and providing better support for people on liberation from prison or completing a community order was vital to reducing reoffending |
Respondents thought it was important to target drugs as a health issue rather than a criminal one. |
A range of priority areas and target groups were identified with full details available in the full findings report.
Recommendations
Recommendation 1 – West Dunbartonshire ADP Strategy should be updated to reflect the priorities highlighted through this work.
Recommendation 2 – The West Dunbartonshire ADP Strategy should outline the continued commitment and mechanisms for involvement of local communities and people with lived and living experience.
Recommendation 3 - West Dunbartonshire ADP Sub-Groups should consider the findings of this exercise in developing their delivery plans
