Working with parents in a problem-solving way: new evidence about Family Drug and Alcohol Courts

Family Drug and Alcohol Courts – an alternative approach to care proceedings – new article by Jo Tunnard: https://t.co/r1fB4a2Caf

— Research in Practice (@researchIP) 6 December 2016

By Jo Tunnard via Research in Practice. Twitter @researchIP

Lancaster University has now published the full findings of two research studies that provide new evidence to support the unique way that Family Drug and Alcohol Courts (FDACs) work with families affected by parental substance misuse and other complex difficulties.

Key messages for practitioners, managers and commissioners

‘Given the evidence that FDAC is better able than ordinary court proceedings to build on the potential of mothers to change, the FDAC model should be made available more widely.

Local authority social workers, and children’s guardians, are valued by the judges for the detailed knowledge about children and families that they can bring to the discussion in FDAC non-lawyer review hearings.

The finding – in both FDAC and comparison cases – that the first two years after proceedings is the time of maximum risk for substance misuse relapse, recurrence of neglect and return to court, highlights the need for increased social work support for family reunification.

It is timely to explore which other types of cases might benefit from the same problem-solving approach to care proceedings, and how to evaluate this new development’.

Please read the full article at source: Working with parents in a problem-solving way: new evidence about Family Drug and Alcohol Courts

Related resources

• After FDAC: outcomes 5 years later Final report. (December 2016) Lancaster University. 
• Problem solving in court: current practice in FDACs in England Final report. (December 2016) 
• Changing Lifestyles, Keeping Children Safe: An Evaluation of the First Family Drug and Alcohol
• Court (FDAC) in Care Proceedings. (May 2014) Lancaster University. 
• About the FDAC National Unit, current local sites, FDAC practice and principles: www.fdac.org.uk.

Article via the Solicitors Journal

Lawyers overwhelming hostility to settlement conferences in care proceedings | @jeanyvesgilg https://t.co/DkQ13nPQGY pic.twitter.com/OawYXfhsPn

— Solicitors Journal (@SJ_weekly) 2 December 2016

Link to article in the Solicitors Journal: Lawyers overwhelmingly hostile to settlement conferences in care proceedings