Youth homelessness - professionals - drugs and alcohol

If the answer is yes, please get in touch with the Youth Substance Misuse Team.  Our service is consent-based so we will need consent from the young person and/or their parent/carer in order to work with them.
The main aim of a Youth Substance Misuse Officer's role is to engage with young people up to the age of 18 who show substance misuse needs, with a particular emphasis on alcohol, cannabis and New Psychoactive Substances (NPS).

Once a referral is received an officer will complete an assessment of the young person's alcohol/substance use/misuse, usually within the family home, with the aim to deliver appropriate education, harm reduction advice, relating to alcohol/substance misuse and related risk taking behaviour.

We are a first point of contact for young people in crisis in relation to substance misuse. We mainly receive referrals from Health and Police; however referrals can be made by other statutory/voluntary agencies or individuals.  If you are unsure on the suitability then please call for a discussion.


 Title  Date  Size
9/11/2022 130k

The Youth Substance Misuse Team act as a rapid first point contact for young people in crisis, in relation to substance misuse. They provide a universal early intervention service, delivering harm reduction advice to prevent the escalation of risk taking behaviour by young people.

The Youth Substance Misuse Team are part of a multi-agency approach therefore if it is identified that further work is required, an Early Help Assessment will be carried out to ensure the young person receives the correct support and achieves the best outcome.

North Cumbria (Carlisle and Eden)

Abi Macrae
Email: abi.macrae@cumbria.gov.uk
Mobile: 07825 340514


West Cumbria (Allerdale and Copeland)

Barry Arnison
Email: barry.arnison@cumbria.gov.uk
Mobile: 0788 794 7621


South Cumbria (Barrow and South Lakes)

Tim Field
Email: tim.field@cumbria.gov.uk
Mobile: 0790 006 0645