Kaisha is an Assistant Psychologist in a residential care setting. She delivers a therapeutic intervention, based on Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy to adolescents, supporting children to heal from adverse childhood experiences. Kaisha holds a BSc in Psychology from Loughborough University and a MSc in Addictions from King’s College London. She is passionate about bridging the gap between research policy and improving clinical outcomes for looked after children. Kaisha has undertaken research exploring Drug and Alcohol Testing practices in children’s social services and the current policies in the UK, utilising a mixed-methods approach.

Abstract

Drug and alcohol testing in children’s social services: A mixed-methods exploratory study

Aims: Drug and alcohol toxicology testing is a widespread tool in social work assessments of parents. This study aimed to identify: (1) how many services commission and have policies for drug and alcohol toxicology testing; (2) at what stage of safeguarding procedures testing occurs and who conducts tests; (3) which substances are tested using which tests; (4) where and how results are analysed; and (5) how are results communicated to parents.

Methods: Freedom of information requests were sent in the form of dichotomous and open text questions to 380 local authorities in the UK. Descriptive statistics were used to compare frequencies and to identify differences in practices in the four nations. A Fishers Exact Test was used to analyse the association between drug and alcohol toxicology testing and drug and alcohol toxicology testing policies. Open text data were coded and analysed thematically.

Results: 338 responses were received (88.95% response rate). 43% of social services departments conduct/commission drug and alcohol toxicology testing, most commonly following family court proceedings. Most (84%) local authorities who conduct drug and alcohol toxicology testing have no formal policy for testing. All that responded reported testing for cannabis, opiates and crack cocaine/cocaine. Hair strand testing was the most common test England (N=118, 42.91%) and Wales (N=19, 95.00%).

Conclusions: Nearly half of local authority social services departments who responded to freedom of information requests either conduct or commission drug and alcohol toxicology testing. There is little guidance or criteria for testing either centrally or at a local authority level, and no standardised practice. Further research is needed to explore social workers’ understanding of the place of drug and alcohol toxicology testing in the assessment of parents, and to investigate parents’ experiences of drug and alcohol toxicology testing.