Special Interest Group: Alcohol and other Drugs
Purpose
The purpose of the BASW Special Interest Group (SIG) in Alcohol and other Drugs is:
"To support social work and social care responses to people who use alcohol and drugs".
To achieve this purpose four key areas comprise the group's focus:
- 1. To influence strategy at national and local levels in the following areas:
a. Drug and alcohol policy
b. Education of social workers
c. Social work/service led organisations e.g. Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) and Association of Directors for Children's Services (ADCS)
- 2. To ensure individuals and organisations involved in the areas named above take responsibility for their contribution to improving social work education and practice in relation to alcohol and drug interventions
- 3. To provide information and resources for social workers
- 4. To facilitate networking opportunities and information exchange.
Structure
The SIG comprises a steering group drawing people from both social work and substance use backgrounds and from practice, policy and academia. It meets four times a year to decide the programme of events, resource development, strategic initiatives and other tasks for the group.
The current Chair of the SIG is Sarah Galvani of the Tilda Goldberg Centre for Social Work and Social Care at the University of Bedfordshire (sarah.galvani@beds.ac.uk). The main BASW representative is Nushra Mansuri (n.mansuri@basw.co.uk).
Testimony
"You raise very important issues that are critical to the education and training of social workers in their day to day job with adults and children and families. We believe that issues of drug and alcohol dependency and abuse is a critical factor in social work intervention that crosses many areas necessitating its generic nature and need to be part of core training."
Graham Ixer
Head of Social Work Education
General Social Care Council
Publications
The SIG has launched its first Pocket Guide for Social Workers on the subject of Alcohol and Other Drugs. It provides essential
information on assessment and intervention of people with substance problems as well as useful links and practical do's and dont's.
Download the guide.
For hard copies contact BASW on 0121 622 3911.
The SIG would very much welcome your feedback on this first edition. Please complete the very brief online evaluation form at the following link: Survey form. Thanks in advance for your feedback.
Events
The group runs at least two free events each year and holds a mailing list for this purpose. If you would like to be added to the mailing list please contact Shirley Konstandis at s.konstandis@basw.co.uk.
Information about events, resources and other work of the SIG will be posted on this page.
Social Work and Substance Use: Evidence-Based Practice?
23rd September 2010 at Resource Centre, 365 Holloway Road, London, N7