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Family Support & Specialist Programmes

Family Support & Specialist Programmes

Service delivered in the community
Forward’s Family Support & Specialist Programmes team, led by Katherine Jenkins, brings a wealth of insight, expertise and evidence-based practice to support your organisation.

We offer:

  • Licensed Programmes: training and support for your organisation to deliver evidence-based programmes on a licence basis (annual fee + training costs).
  • Online Group Programmes: access for your clients and service users to structured group programmes, joining peers across the country for shared experience and mutual support.
  • Staff Training: access for your teams to a range of modules and courses delivered in person or online as ‘set’ programmes or on a bespoke ‘pick and mix’ basis.

Our particular areas of expertise:

  • Substance misuse, addiction, and mental health.
  • Supporting families affected by these issues as well as offending.

Licensed programmes (training & support for local delivery)

All our programmes are based on evidence and the principles of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Transactional Analysis, and Systemic Family Therapy.

M-PACT (Moving Parents and Children Together)

This whole family programme brings together parents and children affected by addiction* and is used in 35 local authority areas. M-PACT aims to:

  • Increase coping skills.
  • Improve family functioning.
  • Identify resources to provide ongoing practical help.
  • Build resilience and increase protective factors.

M-PACT helped me understand how my actions affects people around me.

M-PACT Service User

*M-PACT for gambling is also available.

Relationship Matters

Relationship Matters supports individual service users who are also receiving treatment for substance misuse or related support to:

  • Identify areas they would like to change in their relationships with family members (and others).
  • Build and maintain positive relations to increase their support network.

I enjoyed getting to understand myself and others and our feeling and working together.

Relationship Matters Service User

Other services currently under development:

  • Parenting in Prison
  • Positive Parenting & Recovery

Online Group Programmes (access to UK-wide groups)

Recovering Families*

This service supports families and significant others (the families’ loved one does not have to be in treatment in order for the family to access this support) to achieve:

  • Improved wellbeing (that is negatively impacted by their loved one’s addiction).
  • Better ability to cope with the impact of addiction on themselves and their family.
  • Improved self-awareness and making changes to have healthier relationships.
  • Improved ability to maintain relationship boundaries.
  • Increased peer support (meeting others with similar experiences).
  • Better self-care e.g. better sleep routines, healthy eating, exercise, etc.
  • Reduced isolation.

I found everything helpful and useful. This service has certainly helped me view things differently, with a whole different slant on handling difficult and sensitive situations.

Recovering Families Service User

(13 x 1.5 hour sessions; Up to 12 participants)

*Also available as licensed programme (training & support delivered locally in person).

Recovery Online (delivered by Forward’s Recovery Directorate)

A 12-week structured abstinence-based group programme that people can access flexibly at a time that suits them. Groups comprise up to 12 people at any time to ensure the right balance of peer support, groups dynamic, and individual expression. The programme comprises:

  • Step assignments – working through the first three of the twelve steps.
  • Reading groups, lectures, & workshops – all based around motivational enhancement.
  • Family sessions – exploring topics such as family identity, relationships, and co-dependency.
  • Education, training, & employment sessions – including an introduction to Forward’s employment services.
  • Weekly 1-2-1 sessions.

I felt so isolated and desperate…it enabled me to reconnect with life and meet like-minded people. Now I am living in recovery.

Recovery Online Service User

Staff training

Substance Misuse Awareness for Housing Workers

We can offer bespoke courses based on a range of modules and topics.

Do get in touch if you would like more information.