What is Moving Parents and Children Together (M-PACT)?
M-PACT supports families to work together to understand how parental substance misuse has affected their lives.
A programme can bring together up to eight families at any one time, where at least one parent has or had an alcohol or other drug problem and where there is at least one child aged 8-17 years old. Following a comprehensive family assessment, the programme runs for nine consecutive weeks. Each session covers a different topic, and combines separate group work with children and adults, work with family units and whole group work when all participants come together. In week nine each family has a review session and, approximately three months later, a reunion session brings the families together for the final time.
M-PACT aims to:
- support children and young people whose parent(s) misuse or have misused alcohol and/or other drugs
- raise parents’ awareness about the impact their misuse has on all family members
- reduce shame and stigma associated with parental substance misuse
- increase the range of coping strategies and raise self esteem
- improve communication within the family
- explore families values and beliefs
- interrupt repeating patterns of harmful behaviour and reduce risks
- identify additional needs of both parents, children and young people and guide them towards further help
How does M-PACT help?
M-PACT promotes a whole family approach ensuring children and young people living with parental substance misuse are safe, visible and their voices are heard. It looks at the impact of substance misuse on family life and the effects on children and young people. M-PACT aims to reduce the shame and stigma associated with parental substance misuse and focuses on helping and supporting families to make positive changes.
The programme helps build resilience and coping strategies by promoting positive and honest communication. It improves parental recognition of children’s health and supports appropriate referrals for drug and alcohol treatment.
Who can attend?
Families who have been affected by parental substance misuse, where there are children aged 8–17.