FDAC leaders speak at Promising Practice event in London
Following on from last October's visit to the House of Lords, the Family Drug and Alcohol Court team were once again in action in the capital to discuss their work...
Hosted at the High Commission for Canada on Wednesday, the National Police Chief’s Council (NPCC) Promising Practice event invited experts from across the field to share their experiences in drugs strategy and discuss the impact the increase of synthetic opiates is having on lives across the country.
As a result, Team Manager Helen Davies and Lead Judge Carole Burgher were able to shed light on the FDAC process, criteria and timeline before concluding their presentation with pictures and quotes from successful parents within FDAC who achieved abstinence and had their children returned.
Helen and Judge Burgher were also able to share some of the valuable data they have amassed over the three years since the Birmingham and Solihull FDAC was launched.
They found that at the end of proceedings:
- 69% of children were reunited with one or both parents or family and friends
- 63% had not had a lapse or relapse
- 52% achieved abstinence
- 26% had returned to employment, education or volunteering
Perhaps most impressively, 97% had no further arrests or cautions during proceedings or during the post-FDAC support period.
Other speakers at the event included Chris Philp, Minister of State for Crime, Policing and Fire; Chief Constable Richard Lewis, who spoke about the national drug threat, and Dr Marta Di Forti, a Clinical Reader in Psychosis Research, who presented on the impact of Cannabis and treatment options.
Cullan Mias, a man with lived experience of addiction, also openly shared his own journey in pictures. A powerful, living example to prove that recovery is possible, he is now giving back to many community services and has his own podcast.
Helen Davies, FDAC Birmingham and Solihull Team Manager, said: "It was an honour and a privilege to be asked to present at this conference and share from first-hand experience the important model that is the FDAC and that problem solving and specific interventions for individuals at an intensive level assists and promotes motivation, change and recovery for families."