Archived: CASA Family Service, Resource Centre

We do not currently rate independent standalone substance misuse services.

We found the following areas of good practice:

• CASA provided an effective model of intervention that supported families where parents had substance misuse issues.
• The service focused on the physical, social and emotional wellbeing of children.
• The service was safe and there was a strong culture of assessing and managing risk.
• CASA used the Child Focused Family Intervention Model, which identified and used the strengths and values in the families it worked with.
• This model was clear and goal focussed. Outcomes were measured and were designed to monitor child wellbeing and protective parenting.
• The service saw improvements in protective parenting, and a reduction in drug and alcohol related harm in the majority of the families it worked with.
• Clients had full confidence in the ability and experience of the staff.
• Professionals in the field of child protection said that the staff were professional, effective and reliable.
• The service used different tools and methods to make children feel less alone in their circumstances and the children fed back that this was successful.
• Staff had a flexible approach to organising appointments and engaging with children and families.
• The service had established relationships with local children’s organisations, schools, child protection agencies, domestic violence advocacy services and other organisations. Professionals from these organisations felt that CASA was a necessary part of their work, and said that the service really helped children and families through traumatic circumstances.
• CASA was committed to change, quality, honesty and integrity and we saw that these values ran through the delivery of the service and the model of intervention that was used.

However:

• The parent provider, Blenheim CDP, did not have systems in place to provide support to staff during periods of change.