Services for Carers and Family members affected by addiction (360G-CheshireCF-A608642)

ASCA provides advice and information, assessments, counselling, group support and wellbeing services services to those with issues related to addiction as well as their carers, family members and friends. We are requesting support towards helping us to deliver advice and information, assessment, one to one counselling, health wellbeing activities and therapeutic group for our carers/ family members affected by someone else's addiction. The grant will be a contribution towards our part-time Carers Lead/Counsellor salary for the year. ASCA is the only service in the LB of Richmond providing specialist support services to carers/ families affected by someone else's addiction. The involvement of carers/family members in the treatment of their cared for can enhance positive outcomes, but only when there is access to local specialist services to support their own mental health and wellbeing. Our carers support needs are very complex with many involved in mentally, physically and financially abusive controlling relationships ie partners and parents of adult children. In the case of the latter parents are coerced to give money to pay for drugs while they themselves struggle to pay bills, forgo meals and social activities. Their guilt and shame means they become isolated from society.