This course is now delivered online via Zoom and Microsoft Teams. Please enquire for details.
The drugs & alcohol training (Level 2) will develop participants knowledge and skills in identifying substance misuse and alcohol related needs via screening and/or assessment. It will provide workers with strategies and treatment tools that they can use to help clients engage with drug and alcohol treatment services.
Course description
This drugs & alcohol training course looks at reasons why clients may resist treatment and how workers can begin to address this in practical ways that will support them to access services. It will introduce principles and key themes in harm reduction that clients can use to minimise risk to themselves and the people around them.
Aims and objectives
By the end of the course, participants will be able to:
Address reasons why people may not want to engage with drug & alcohol treatment services
Introduce drugs & alcohol as topics with their clients
Structure brief advice sessions with their clients
Be able to use screening and treatment tools
Describe basic harm reduction techniques
Support a client to access appropriate services
Target audience
The course is aimed at those who will be working with drug-users in a variety of settings e.g. Social Workers, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Staff, Youth Offending Teams, Community Pharmacists, Community Mental Health Teams, General Practitioners, Domestic Violence Workers, Police Officers and Probation Staff.
Capability Framework Alignment
This course aligns with the Capability Framework for the Drug and Alcohol Treatment and Recovery Workforce (NHS England/OHID, 2024), which underpins the 10-Year Strategic Plan for the Drug and Alcohol Treatment and Recovery Workforce 2024–2034.
| Capability Domain (NHS England / OHID, 2024) | Framework Section |
| Knowledge of the harm associated with the physical and psychological effects of commonly used substances, including alcohol, cannabis, stimulants, opioids and novel psychoactive substances | Drug and Alcohol Worker: Application of Knowledge |
| Knowledge of the nature, prevalence and patterns of drug and alcohol use in the UK, including health inequalities and the social determinants of substance use | Drug and Alcohol Worker: Application of Knowledge |
| Ability to recognise signs and symptoms of substance misuse and respond appropriately, including signposting and referral to specialist services | Drug and Alcohol Worker: Application of Knowledge |
| Ability to use screening and brief intervention tools (e.g. AUDIT, DAST, FAST) to identify risk levels and structure brief advice sessions | Drug and Alcohol Worker: Engagement, Assessment and Care Planning |
| Ability to provide evidence-based harm reduction information and advice to reduce risk to individuals and those around them | Drug and Alcohol Worker: Harm Reduction, Treatment and Recovery |
| Recovery-oriented approach — working with individuals to build personal, social and community recovery capital | Engagement, Assessment and Care Planning |
| Ability to support individuals to access appropriate drug and alcohol treatment and recovery services, including referral pathways | Drug and Alcohol Worker: Harm Reduction, Treatment and Recovery |
| Underpinning Principles Embedded in This Course Trauma-informed care • Recovery-oriented approach • Evidence-based practice • Person-centred working • Forming a working alliance • Therapeutic optimism • Challenging stigma • Co-occurring needs and multidisciplinary working |