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Pulse 11: Strengthening the family relationships of people in recovery from addiction

Pulse 11 focuses on our work to strengthen the family relationships of people in recovery from addiction.

Find out more about the issues explored in Pulse.

For more information about the work and insights discussed in Pulse, contact Carwyn Gravell at carwyn.gravell@forwardtrust.org.uk

Previous issues of Pulse

Pulse 10: Housing ex-offenders and people in recovery from addiction: Innovative and scalable models, responding to lockdown

For years, we’ve been helping prison leavers to resettle in the community through partnership arrangements with ‘supported housing’ providers. More recently, we’ve developed two further models of accommodation:

• Recovery Housing – for three or four clients to live together – those who are making good progress in their substance misuse recovery, who need more freedom than is offered in supported housing but are not yet ready to live independently
• Vision Housing – providing access to suitable accommodation for prison leavers, ex-offenders, and those on a recovery pathway with low complex needs who are ready to live independently

Pulse 10 highlights how these models combine safe, good quality accommodation with peer support and mentoring, which helps individuals to sustain tenancies. Their innovative funding structures also mean they can be scaled up without relying on contract funding.

Pulse 9: Recovery online

Learning from lockdown and the value of remote and digitally-delivered support for people with substance misuse problems.

Pulse Online webinar presentations

Research Digest: The impact of COVID-19 lockdown on vulnerable groups

For background into the issues and challenges facing our client groups, read our overview of current third-party research in the impact of lockdown on vulnerable groups.

Pulse 8: The Bridges: Recovery and belonging for ex-offenders in Hull

The Bridges, based in Hull and run by Forward, is the only residential rehabilitation centre in the UK that specialises in supporting prison leavers who have substance misuse problems. With Forward’s accredited 12-step, abstinence-based programmes at its heart, the centre delivers holistic, wrap-around support for residents, empowering them to achieve transformational change, leading to a fulfilling and addiction-free future.

Pulse 7: Take Home Naloxone: best practice in preventing fatal opioid overdoses for prison leavers

First piloted at HMP Lewes in 2018, and since implemented in 10 other prisons, Forward’s Take Home Naloxone initiative has created dedicated practitioner Naloxone Leads who train prison leavers on how to use the drug and provide THN kits upon their release.

Pulse 6: Employment and skills for ex-offenders and people in recovery from addiction

Pulse 6 highlights the challenges people in recovery and ex-offenders face in finding employment, and how our employment services are helping to address them.

Pulse 5: Involving service users and stakeholders in the Forward East Kent Substance Misuse Service

How we co-designed our East Kent Drug and Alcohol services in collaboration with Kent County Council and mental health charity Rethink.

Pulse 4: Connections: strengthening the relationships of offenders and people in recovery from addiction with family, friends and wider social networks

How our Connections family service strengthens our clients’ relationships in prisons and the community.

Pulse 3: A flexible model of support to engage and enable recovery for women offenders with substance dependence

How we identified and addressed women’s substance misuse service needs at HMP Send.

Pulse 2: Tackling substance dependence and mental health problems among UK prisoners

How we successfully address substance misuse issues though our prison-based services.

Pulse 1: Our clients, our services, our impact

An overview of our client demographics and how our service have been developed to address their needs.