Aquarius - Children & Young People's Substance Misuse Service

The Aquarius service is commissioned to provide specialist drug and alcohol support and interventions across Oxfordshire. We offer free and non-judgmental support to those who use substances and also those who are affected by someone else’s substance misuse.

Anybody can refer to our service and we have no waiting list.

Individual’s aged 8 – 19 who are affected by someone else’s substance misuse

We know that children and young people can be affected by impacted upon by someone else’s substance misuse. Aquarius offers support to children and young people aged from 8 to 19 years old which includes protective behaviours. For any child under the age of 8, any intervention will only be delivered in partnership with a lead professional such as a family support worker/health visitor.

It may be helpful for those children and young people who:

• are anxious, stressed or worried
• have difficulty managing their emotions and behaviour
• are withdrawn or seem unhappy
• demonstrate lower than expected academic progress
• have difficulty forming or maintaining relationships

Our interventions aim to help children to:

• express their thoughts and feelings
• explore their anxieties and fears
• learn to manage their behaviours and develop coping strategies
• develop their resilience and confidence
• find healthier ways to communicate
• build healthier relationships within their family, school and peers

Support and advice for individuals aged 8-19 (or 25 in cases where it is appropriate) who use drugs and alcohol

We will support anyone up to the age of 19 (or 25 in cases where it is appropriate), living in Oxfordshire with a substance misuse problem or at risk of developing one.

Many of the young people we work with also have other vulnerabilities; school exclusions, truancy, teenage pregnancy, child sexual and drug exploitation, in care or leaving care, homelessness, mental, emotional and physical health issues, offending, lack of education attainment and unemployment.

Although we work with young people/children as individuals, we adopt the ‘Think Family’ philosophy and make sure that the support provided by Aquarius is co-ordinated and has a focus on problems affecting the whole family.

We provide:

• outreach to engage with hard to reach and ‘at risk’ young people
• brief interventions and advice
• comprehensive assessment and care planning
• 1:1 support and structured interventions
• group work
• support and training for parents, carers and professionals
• referrals to specialist services