Drugs and alcohol support for young people - Derby

Breakout is the young persons' drug and alcohol service for Derby. If you are under 18 and your drug or alcohol use is worrying you or causing problems, Breakout can help. 

The Breakout team provides:

• Treatment and support: we can create a support or treatment package based on you and one that fits in with your lifestyle.

• One-to-one support.

• Detox programs: if you need help coming off a drug or alcohol we can help you to come off it.

• Work on coping mechanisms: we can help you to find other ways to cope rather than taking drugs when bad things happen.

We offer a confidential specialist service; this means we will not talk to other people about your support or treatment unless you want us to. In rare cases we may have to but we will always aim to speak to you first. Read our confidentiality agreement below for more information.

Will you have to speak to my parents?

Parents and carers want the best for you, even if it may not seem like that at the time. We can work with your parents, help explain things from your point of view and help you to rebuild or strengthen your relationship with them.  

This doesn’t mean they have to know everything; most parents are just glad that you're getting support and don’t need to know how much and/or how often you take something. We will always ask you if you want your family involved and it’s your decision.

Learn more about the effects of drugs by visiting the NHS website's effects of drugs page. There is also a page about 'drugs and the brain'. The Frank website also gives honest information about different types of drugs and their risks.

If you are struggling with a drug addiction, visit the NHS website's drug addition: getting help page for advice and support.

Learn more about alcohol by viewing the NHS website's alcohol support section.

We can offer:

• Basic drug and alcohol training sessions for school staff

• Targeted group work in schools with young people who are at risk of developing problems with their drug or alcohol use

• Visits to young people in school if they prefer.

If your service has young people who are particularly vulnerable to using drugs and alcohol, we can offer:

• Basic drug and alcohol training sessions for staff

• Targeted group work.

If you are a parent or carer and are concerned about a young person, you can contact us - our details are below. However please remember: if you want a young person to access the service, they must agree to the referral.

Some advice: 

Try and talk to the young person in a way that doesn’t turn into an argument. This is often the most difficult part of trying to offer support to the young person. Bear in mind they won’t talk to you if it becomes a shouting match.

In some cases it might be better to get someone who has a good relationship with the young person, perhaps a family friend or relative, to talk to them.

Be prepared: 

It may take some time for them to admit they are using drugs or drinking too much alcohol. And remember - they may not want help even if they are using at this moment in time. 

Try and read up on the particular substance if you know what they are taking, but be careful; it’s very  easy to get confused between the symptoms that someone is displaying and the actual drugs they are using. 

Breakout 

Space@Connexions
Curzon House
8 Curzon Street
Derby, DE1 1LL

Tel: 01332 641661

Monday to Friday, 9am - 5pm

Location map for Breakout. 

Breakout is part of Derby Integrated Family Health Service. The team also works closely with the Derby Drugs and Alcohol Recovery Service for people aged 18 and over. More details on the service on their website.

Breakout Young Persons’ Substance Misuse Service offers a confidential service. This means we do not disclose information to your parents, teachers, the police or others, without your consent. However, information is shared within the team for case management and supervision purposes. 

We will need to disclose information in the following cases: 

• You or someone you know is suffering or at risk of suffering significant harm, e.g. emotional, physical or sexual abuse
• You or someone you know is suffering from neglect
• You need urgent medical attention, for overdose, serious illness or injury, suicide and self-harming behaviour
• To protect the public from acts of terrorism as defined in the Prevention of Terrorism Act, 1971
• To protect the service providers or third parties in a life-threatening situation
• If you disclose to us information relating to a very serious crime such as rape or murder
• Where the service is ordered to give information as part of legal proceedings.

• Breakout Flowchart - print version
• Breakout Flowchart - screen version
• Breakout Poster - print version
• City Referral Form