To support Alcohol Awareness Week we have brought together Research in Practice learning resources on alcohol, social connections, mental health and wellbeing.
The COVID-19 pandemic and uncertainty caused by subsequent lockdowns has led to reports of people feeling lonely, experiencing mental health concerns and consuming more alcohol. Drinking doesn’t only impact on individuals, it also affects our family and friends, our communities and society as a whole.
Alcohol, social connections and community spirit
Lloyd Boone
During the pandemic our personal, professional and social environments have altered. The way we interact and talk to each other has changed to become largely virtual, many of us have had to adapt to new working and living arrangements, and as a result it has affected how we drink.
Family Drug and Alcohol Courts under COVID-19
Vicki Morris
Since the beginning of the pandemic, the Family Drug and Alcohol Courts have been creative in adapting their support to families. So how have these services – which are so reliant on the power of human relationships – operated effectively during times of social distancing?
Resources on alcohol and substance use
Alcohol and drugs are an issue for many individuals and families that come into contact with social care services. Social care practitioners have a key role in working effectively with people who use alcohol and other drugs harmfully.
- Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) – identifying and responding in practice with families: Frontline Briefing
- Identifying Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders in practice with families: Views
- Pre-birth assessment: Strategic Briefing
- Research Summary – September 2020: Family Drug and Alcohol Courts in England
- Working effectively with people who use alcohol and other drugs harmfully: Views
- Working effectively with people who use alcohol and other drugs harmfully: Recorded Webinar
Resources on social connections
The quality of our relationships at home, our place of work and in communities matter. During coronavirus, more people are reporting feeling lonely, with young people feeling a greater impact.
- Keeping connected with our peers during lockdown: Views
- Loneliness and social connection: Good practice now and in the future - Recorded Webinar
- Recognising the impact of loneliness: Views
- Promoting the importance of human relationships: Views
- Social connection, loneliness and lockdown: Views
Resources on mental health and wellbeing
Mental health conditions can affect people at all stages of their life course. For social care, health and education practitioners, a sound understanding of the varied causes and effects of mental health conditions, good assessment, and a working knowledge of key legislation, can help to improve outcomes for children and young people, adults and families.
- Feeling, thinking, being: A call to mindfulness in times of crisis – Views
- Mental health, social work and the times they are a-changing – some thoughts from practice: Views
- Mental Health Act assessments: Brief Guide
- Parental mental health: Frontline Briefing
- Person-centred approaches to adult mental health: Frontline Briefing
- Person-centred approaches to adult mental health: Podcast
- Positive mental health and wellbeing in children and young people: Suggestions for practice
- Social Work Organisational Resilience Diagnostic (SWORD)
- Supervision for wellbeing: Views
- Working effectively with parental mental health: Views
