Addiction and the Family International Network (AFINet)

AFINet was set up in 2014 with support from a grant from the Society for the Study of Addiction (SSA).

The small group of UK-based people who founded AFINet had been working in the area of ‘addiction and the family’ since at least the early 1980’s, and had led collaborations between the NHS and academic institutions in the cities of Bath/Bristol and Birmingham. The group was known as the ADF Group (Alcohol, Drugs and the Family) and key members were: Jim Orford, Richard Velleman, Lorna Templeton and Alex Copello, although many others, in a number of countries, participated in and made significant contributions to the group’s research over the years.

The ADF Group was primarily interested in research and its implications for practice; its research followed two directions:

Obtaining detailed information about the experiences of family members affected by addictive-type problems; and
Applying this knowledge, both to help health and social care workers / practitioners respond to the needs of family members, and to develop a clearer perspective on theory, practice, research and policy in this area.

Creating AFINet as an International body to take these interests further was a natural next step. We used some of the SSA grant to employ Laura Nice to help create AFINet.

Some of the work that the ADF Group undertook resulted in the development of both the ‘Stress-Strain-Information-Coping-Support’ Model and the ‘5-Step Method’, and hence when AFINet was created, it also became the ‘home’ of both of these.”

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Member's Information

AFINet and our work

AFINet and Friends

This covers criteria 1.6 from the competency framework, You can rate this session yourself using the competency framework.

Training Slides

These slides are your template for training and can be adapted as needed depending on how you are running your training.

Addiction

Using the word addiction can be controversial and emotive, to both practitioners and affected family members (AFMs), as it can imply only extreme problems and this can mean that some AFMs do not seek support. For AFINet, we are using the word as a short-hand: the issue for AFINet is whether AFMs feel they have been affected by somebody else's use of alcohol and/or other drugs, gambling or other excessive behaviours. So, the focus is on the AFMs experience and not the nature and severity of the problem.

Family member story - Listen, reassure and explore concerns.

This video demonstrates some of the elements within Step 1 (but not the beginning or ending of the session). It was made in 2010 and the content is still excellent. The video was produced before we developed the competency framework so it will not cover every criterion but use your competency framework to score and comment on how well you think the session is done.

Identify relevant and targeted information

This video demonstrates some of the elements within Step 2 (but not the beginning or ending of the session). It was made in 2010 and the content is still excellent. The video was produced before we developed the competency framework so it will not cover every criterion but use your competency framework to score and comment on how well you think the session is done

Explore ways of coping and responding

This video demonstrates some of the elements within Step 3 - (but not the beginning or ending of the session) It was made in 2010 and the content is still excellent. The video was produced before we developed the competency framework so it will not cover every criterion but use your competency framework to score and comment on how well you think the session is done

Explore and enhance support and communication

This video demonstrates some of the elements within Step 4 (but not the beginning or ending of the session) - It was made in 2010 and the content is still excellent. The video was produced before we developed the competency framework so it will not cover every criterion but use your competency framework to score and comment on how well you think the session is done.

Review previous steps and explore further needs

This video demonstrates some the elements within Step 5. It was made in 2010 and the content is still excellent. The video was produced before we developed the competency framework so it will not cover every criterion.

Representatives from UK organisations in 2010 taking about its effectiveness.

Discussion’ between the originators of the 5-Step Method.

This video returns to the representatives from various services and organisations in the UK, speaking about how they have found the 5 Step Method useful and effective.