Lifeline has been delivering services to young people in East Lancashire since 1997. Lifeline East Lancashire’s Early Intervention Service (Tier 2/3) works to address both current substance use, by young people, and identify specific action that will help reduce the impact of risk. Lifeline East Lancashire staff work across disciplines and across agency boundaries and the staff team comprises workers with a range of experiences and qualifi cations – including teachers, youth workers, personal advisors, counsellors, community workers, social workers and youth justice workers. Although some of the work carried out is relatively informal and takes place in groups a large part is focused on individual young people. In 2003/4 over 640 individual young people received a structured assessment and care planned service from Lifeline East Lancashire. Whilst these young people varied greatly Lifeline staff were able to put in place plans to address their drug use whilst at the same time address the kind of risk factors that might predict future, more problematic, substance use.

Keith Owen