Women affected by both domestic violence and substance misuse are not having their needs met, delegates at a Community Care conference in London heard today.
Victims must choose between “safety or sobriety” as very few agencies cater for such complex needs, said Sarah Galvani, social work lecturer at Birmingham University.
Speakers at the conference examined substance misuse by victims and perpetrators of domestic violence.
Within domestic violence organisations, “there is often a climate of fear and prejudice about substance misuse,” said Marianna Tortell, training manager at the Nia Project, which works with victims of domestic violence and substance misuse.
Many refuges will not work with drug users, so there is a lack of services for these women, she added.
Tortell said domestic violence workers lack the training and supervision needed to work with substance misuse issues.
Jane Booth, corporate director and policy lead for domestic violence at the Children and Family Courts Advisory Service said a wide range of young people’s services including mental health and Connexions should consider training staff in how domestic violence and substance misuse affects children.
Domestic violence victims with substance misuse problems are not having their needs met
June 30, 2006 in Children, Substance misuse
More from Community Care
Related articles:
Featured jobs
Workforce Insights
- Working with perpetrators of domestic abuse: training social workers to have challenging conversations
- Extending support: the importance of reflective supervision beyond the ASYE
- ‘It’s hopeful work’: social work in an adults’ mental health team
- Podcast: supporting adults with learning disabilities and autism post-pandemic
- ‘There aren’t many roles where you get to take a child on holiday’: the benefits of residential care work
- Workforce Insights – showcasing a selection of the sector’s top recruiters
Community Care Inform
Latest stories
Finley Boden: professionals should have protected baby murdered by his parents, review finds
Regulator calls for consistency of support for NQSWs as DfE develops children’s early career framework
Leadership training programme launched for PSWs, AMHP leads and principal OTs in adults’ services
Kent ‘extremely close to capacity’ to care for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children
Comments are closed.