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Effective Interventions Unit: Advocacy for Drug Users: A Guide
Appendix 2: Results of questionnaire to service providers
This questionnaire was conducted in order to inform the guide to advocacy for drug users about the views and experiences of service providers. The aim of the questionnaire was to find out the views of service provider about:
the context and issues in relation to which drug users need advocacy
who is most likely to provide advocacy to drug users at present
who is best placed to provide advocacy services to drug users.
Method
The questionnaire included 4 key questions and answers to the questions were on a scale (either 5 or 6-point scale). Respondents also had the opportunity for open-ended comments at the end of each question and at the very end of the questionnaire.
226 questionnaires were sent to a range of service providers, including specialist treatment and care service providers and generic service providers (including housing, training, employment and childcare).
Who responded to the questionnaire?
88 questionnaires were returned. Just over half were completed by service managers, chairs or co-ordinators; the rest were completed by project workers, group members / volunteers, social workers, community engagement officers, nurses, counsellors or administrators.
What services do they work for or represent?
The biggest single group of respondents worked for treatment and rehabilitation services. The second largest group of respondents worked for services for young people. Other respondents worked for training agencies, employment agencies (including Jobcentre Plus), family support groups or self help groups.
The target group of clients respondents work with:
The biggest single target group was drug and alcohol users. Other target groups included families / carers; young people; and bereavement groups.
Summary of results
Substance misusing clients were perceived by the majority of respondents to need advocacy most of all when dealing with
housing, social work and training and employment agencies. However, a smaller majority also believed their clients need advocacy help when dealing with
Children & Family teams, GPs, Police, Jobcentre Plus and FE colleges.
It was perceived that clients need advocacy most of all in relation to
benefit, finance and debt issues. Interestingly, substitute prescribing was seen as the issue clients least need advocacy with.
Most clients have received advocacy from staff within treatment and care agencies. Very few clients receive advocacy from staff within treatment and care agencies who are formally trained advocates.
Service users were more likely to receive advocacy from family and friends than from independent advocacy agencies.
Independent advocacy agencies were considered to be the most appropriate agencies to provide advocacy help to substance users. However, when asked to comment, many respondents highlighted a
range of potential difficulties with relying on independent agencies to provide advocacy for their clients.
About 1/3 of respondents thought it was
not appropriate for staff who were
not formally trained advocates to provide advocacy support. Just over 40% thought it was not appropriate for family and friends to provide advocacy support, but just over half thought it was appropriate.
Question A: When dealing with which agencies do clients need advocacy support?
Question B: In relation to which issues do clients need advocacy?
Question C: Who provides advocacy?
Advocacy work can be split to two main components. The one component is
helping clients express their own views and the other
helping clients make decisions regarding their own lives. For that reason question C has been divided to 2 parts, each aiming to find out who provides advocacy support to clients.
Question C1: Where do clients receive help with expressing their own views?
Question C2: Where do clients receive help to make decisions about their own lives?
Question D: Who
should provide advocacy services to substance users?
For further details on the questionnaire and for a full report on the questionnaire results contact EIU, Tel: 01312445117 or E-mail:
EIU@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
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