Is the Insight Platform service meeting the needs of families and young people with substance misuse issues?

Insight Platform provides one-to-one and group support to young people and parents who are affected by problem drinking or drug use – either their own or those of a family member. They also work with other agencies including schools, children’s services, the NHS and probation services to provide training for their staff and to raise awareness.  

During the review, we spoke to 31 current service users (both parents and young people), eight staff from local schools who refer into the service and five young people who are not currently using the service, but who shared their views on when and how they might seek support for themselves or a friend or family member.

We found that:

• The service is valued by service users, particularly their relationship with their key worker, the flexibility of the service and the holistic and ‘whole family’ approach to support, which includes help with things like housing, benefits and child custody.
• There is no demand for online services among current service users.
• There is a need to do more to raise awareness of the service among young people who may be experiencing drug or alcohol issues, as well as parents, teachers and school staff.
• Young people’s understanding of ‘substance misuse’ is different from that of services – and any marketing of the service should reflect this.

We had a positive response to the report from the Insight Platform service, who have provided a response to some of our findings and recommendations. We have also shared feedback from service users with the Public Health team at Haringey Council who commission the service, and will be following up with them to see what has changed as a result.