Essex Young People's Drug and Alcohol Service
114 Springfield RoadChelmsford
Essex
CM2 6LF
01245 493 311
Our approach and ethos
Essex Young people’s Drug and Alcohol Service – or EYPDAS - is a project of The Children's Society. Our remit is to deliver quality care and services to young people, up to the age of 19, across the county of Essex, who are affected by substance use - either their own or someone else's. We work with more than 6,000 children and young people a year, of which around 500 receive one-to-one support.
Whatever your needs - statutory targets or key performance indicators - in the area of drug and alcohol support, we have the expertise to help you. We ensure a demonstrable impact is made for children and young people affected by substance misuse in Essex through the use of preventive, harm-reduction and treatment services. EYPDAS works in partnership with both statutory and non-statutory organisations to deliver integrated services across the county.
Primarily, we are commissioned by the Essex Drug and Alcohol Action Team, but we also receive funding from the Youth Justice Board, Primary Care Trust and local grants from drug and alcohol reference groups and Children and Young People Strategic Partnerships.
EYPDAS neither condones nor condemns the use of substances, either legal or illegal. Our aim is to inform, educate and where appropriate advise young people around substances, their effects, risks and potential impact upon themselves and others, such that young people might have the knowledge and insight to consider the options and make appropriate choices. We acknowledge that many young people do use substances, yet we will emphasise to young people the unpredictable nature of substance use, that experiences are typically unique and vary between individuals, drug and the episodes in which they are taken.
It is also our aim that young people accessing the services of EYPDAS feel both supported and empowered. At EYPDAS we pride ourselves on striving to offer a service for young people that is also informed by young people.
Substance Intervention Team (SIT)
The Substance Intervention Team (SIT) primarily carry out one to one assessments and care-planned interventions with young people whose drug and alcohol experiences are impacting on their lives.
Offender Related Service (ORS)
The role of the Offender Related Service (ORS) team is to provide a specialist service to Youth Offending Team (YOT) staff and young people in the criminal justice system in all matters relating to substance use.
Drug and Alcohol Referral Team (DART)
The DART team take referrals direct from children and young people, carers and social care workers. Any child or young person who is Looked After can receive a service, as can any worker or carer within Children and Young People Looked After Services.
Schools Liaison Workers (Tendring & Colchester localities)
The Schools Liaison workers deliver the work of EYPDAS to schools in the locality, providing assessments, information and planned interventions around substance use.
Outreach Team
The Outreach Team is responsible for delivering a programme of drug and alcohol work, including education and prevention through workshops, street work and group work, one off structured sessions, drop-ins and other ongoing programmes.
We also work with targeted groups of young people, such as identified groups of users and marginalised groups.
Training
The Training Department develops and delivers a range of programmes for individuals, groups or organisations working with children, young people and adults who wish to develop a greater understanding of the problems associated with substance use and misuse.
Open Access, Helpline and Needle Exchange
Operating from the young people's centre in Chelmsford is an open access drop-in service, telephone helpline, under 19’s needle exchange service (subject to assessment) and a registered C-Card outlet.
