About Under18

The Matthew Project's Under18 Service is Norfolk Young People's Drug and Alcohol Service, commissioned by the Norfolk Drug and Alcohol Partnership. As well as providing advice, support and treatment for young people using substances and whose family members use substances, this service also supports parents, carers and professionals who work with young people.

The service comprises of young people's substance misuse workers and counsellors from The Matthew Project, nurses and a consultant from Norfolk and Waveney Mental Health Trust Alcohol and Drug Service (TADS) and a social worker with specialist drug and alcohol knowledge from Children's Services.

The Under18 service provides a full range of interventions and support including:

• Lessons and assemblies focused on drugs and alcohol in schools and other settings
• Informal education and targeted outreach on The Matthew Project Voicebox caravan
• Advice and information
• One to one support and brief interventions
• Comprehensive assessment and regular support or counselling with a care plan
• Harm reduction including blood borne virus testing and vaccinations
• Community Prescribing, family interventions and access to residential treatment
• Support for young people affected by someone else's substance misuse
• Support for parents and carers including drug and alcohol awareness sessions

The Under18 service comprises of three teams based in King's Lynn (West), Norwich (Central and North) and Great Yarmouth (East and South) with workers also based in the North and South of the county. Each area will have a designated manager or lead worker who will liaise with agencies and integrate the Under18 service into the five area partnerships:

Manager for East - Derek Hewis - derek@matthewproject.org

Lead Worker for South - Eve Hart - eve@matthewproject.org

Manager for North - to be confirmed

Lead Worker for Central - Melanie Long - mel@matthewproject.org

Manager for West - Freya Fletcher - freya@matthewproject.org

Service Manager - Graeme Stewart - graeme@matthewproject.org

How to book education or outreach sessions

Professionals working with young people should call the Under18 service on

01603 774360 if they would like to book assemblies, lessons, group work sessions, informal education on the Voicebox caravan and outreach sessions on the Voicebox caravan.

How to refer a young person for 1-2-1 support

Professionals should call 01603 774360 for a consultation about a substance misuse related issue or to receive advice or information about making a referral.

If you need help in deciding whether a young person needs our support, you can use the SID tool to help you. SID (Support and Information on Drugs) is a tool to support professionals in identifying young people's substance misuse related needs via screening and/or Common Assessment Framework (CAF) assessment and in accessing appropriate substance misuse services. For more information anda copy of thetool, please go to http://www.nordat.org.uk/

Young people can be referred to theUnder18 Service via the following routes:

1. Common Assessment Framework (CAF) assessment identifies unmet needs that require a multi agency response including substance misuse needs -send a copy of the CAF assessment form by post or fax to the Under18 office and call the office to invite a worker to a multi-agency meeting with the intention of creating a 'team around the child'.
2. CAF assessment identifies unmet substance misuse related needs that require a single agency response - make a referral to the Under18 service by sending a completed CAF assessment form by post or fax to the Under18 office.

CAF assessment forms can be sent: by post to:

Under18, The Matthew Project @ OPEN, 20 Bank Plain, Norwich, NR2 4SF in an envelope marked 'Confidential - Addressee only';

Alternatively, CAF assessment forms can be sent by fax to 01603 614953 - please call and check that a worker is available to receive the fax.

Please go to http://www.everynorfolkchildmatters.org/ for more information about Norfolk's CAF process. CAF forms can be downloaded from this website - please select 'Common Assessment Framework' in the Hot Topics section on the right of the screen and then select 'What forms do I need to complete' in the Quick Links section on the right of the screen.

Remember we also provide support for young people who are affected by other people's drug or alcohol use.

How to contact Under18

Professionals working with young people should always call the Under18 office on 01603 774360 for information and advice.

Additional leaflets about the Under18 service (A5 flyer and Helpline Card for young people and Service Leaflet for professionals) can be requested from our main office at OPEN.

The Under18 service provides a 24 hour helpline for young people, parents and carers on 0800 970 4866 or 01603 774355. Please encourage young people and their families to make use of this aspect of the service.

The Matthew Project 24 hour helpline for adults aged 18 and over remains the same - 0800 764754.

The Matthew Project Youth Team continues to deliver a range of projects including club work, street outreach, youth engagement projects, coaching and alcohol work with young people.

Please see the Youth Team section of The Matthew Project website or contact Sophie Neech, the Youth Team Manager, for information about these projects on 0845 868 8172 or email sophie@matthewproject.org