Barking And Dagenham Council Spend Over £400,000 A Year Combatting Drug And Alcohol Addiction
The council commissions Subwize to provide substance abuse services for young people who might need them in Barking and Dagenham.
Barking and Dagenham council spends £430,078 per year on a contract with substance misuse service, Subwize, new data reveals.
Subwize, which is run by the Westminster Drug Project, works with people under 21 to prevent drug and alcohol use and reduce the level of harm related to substance use.
The organisation delivers a range of services such as secondary school visits, where their team offers advice, information and workshops to discourage young people from using drugs.
The council also commissioned the service to deliver ‘Hidden Harm’ with a dedicated worker, who is responsible for providing support and therapeutic tools to any child or young person who has a parent or carer that uses substances in a problematic way.
A council spokesperson said: “We are committed to ensuring that substance misuse services provide the best quality advice, support and treatment to our most vulnerable residents.
“The council commissions separate adult and young people drug and alcohol services, which incorporate interventions such as counselling to support service users in their recovery.
“We recognise the importance of preventative measures as part of substance misuse interventions and continue to fund highly effective services.”
Any young person in the borough can either be referred by a professional to the service or apply for guidance themselves by calling 0300 303 4613 or emailing info.subwize@wdp.org.uk.
The findings were sourced by media literacy charity The Student View in a Freedom of Information request submitted to Barking and Dagenham Borough Council.