Promoting Family Recovery Across Scotland
The next item of business is a members’ business debate on motion S4M-08604, in the name of John Mason, on promoting family recovery across Scotland. The debate will be concluded without any question being put. I ask our guests who are leaving the gallery to do so quietly please—the Parliament is in session.
Motion debated,
That the Parliament notes the success of the Promoting Family Recovery Across Scotland event held in the Parliament on 21 November 2013 by Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs; notes the briefing paper on promoting family recovery that was presented at the event; reckons that every substance user is part of a family involving at least five members and that if families are dealt with as a whole then much more can be done for the user in recovery; considers that good examples of this type of work are being taken forward across Scotland, especially in Grampian and East Dunbartonshire, and gives its full support to ensuring that all family members affected by the problematic substance use of a loved-one receive support in their own right.
12:36
I thank all members who signed the motion and therefore allowed the debate to go ahead. The motion refers specifically to the event that was held on 21 November 2013, which if I remember correctly was hosted by Ken Macintosh. That shows that there is widespread support for this concept and, specifically, for Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs.
I am not sure exactly who has got into the gallery so far, but I welcome Christine Duncan, the chief executive of Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs, and Stevie Lydon, the chair of the organisation. It is largely through Christine Duncan’s enthusiasm for this work that a number of us have been drawn into some involvement with it.
I thank Christine Duncan and her colleagues for the excellent briefing papers that they provided before the debate. I expect that other speakers might go into more detail about specific issues around alcohol and drugs, such as naloxone, minimum unit pricing, methadone or new psychoactive substances, but I really want to concentrate on the theme of families and their involvement with a family member who has an issue with drugs or alcohol.
A range of organisations do excellent work in the fields of alcohol and drug dependency. We all know about Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous, which operate nationally. At Glasgow level, we have the Glasgow drug crisis centre run by Turning Point Scotland. In the east end of Glasgow we have had Calton Athletic, the Greater Easterhouse Alcohol Awareness Project and the east end community alcohol support service, among others. Of course, the risk of mentioning individual organisations is that one misses some out, so I apologise for almost certainly having done so. However, my point is that a lot of good work is going on in both the public and voluntary sectors, often with a slightly different emphasis in each organisation.
Rightly, there is a big emphasis on the individual who has the problem, who is primarily the one who needs help and has to make certain decisions. However, that is not the whole story. Each individual with a drug or alcohol problem has a partner, a parent, a brother or sister, or a child. Those folk, too, to a greater or lesser extent, will be affected by the addiction and may well be part of the solution—and may certainly want to be part of the solution. Those folk, too, may be suffering physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally because of the substance misuse. As the briefing points out, there can be psychological distress, mental and physical ill health, negative financial impacts and an impact on employment.
We have to accept that all families are different from each other. Underlying issues within a family may well have contributed to an individual getting involved in alcohol or drugs, or there might have been an intergenerational problem, with several family members having similar problems. That said, in many cases—and I and other members have heard of and have met such families—the family has a huge amount of input, caring and helping to provide a stable environment, not to mention providing actual financial support, which consequently saves the public sector considerable amounts.
We should also mention grandparents and other kinship carers who, having brought up their own children, now face the challenges of bringing up grandchildren or other young relatives while trying to provide support for their own children—that is, the grandchildren’s parents—who are struggling with alcohol or drugs.
Today, we are focusing on Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs, but to emphasise the wider network we could also mention other organisations, for example Al-Anon, an organisation for families and friends of alcoholics. I recently met Al-Anon in Glasgow and I also met Family Addiction Support Services—FASS—in West Street in Glasgow. I was impressed by some of FASS’s work. One of the issues that it mentioned was how it can support grandparents who have to relearn the skills of bringing up young children. Obviously, society and the way in which children are brought up are somewhat different these days from what they were perhaps 30 years ago.
I have been impressed by the ethos of SFAD. Its website has details of the helpline, then one of the first tabs is “Supporting Yourself”. It says:
“At Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol & Drugs we believe the best way you can help a substance misusing relative is to get support for yourself. Attending a support group, gaining more knowledge and learning relaxation techniques can help you cope.”
I was also particularly taken with a section headed “It’s Not Your Fault”, which addresses relatives by saying:
“You are not responsible for your loved one’s alcohol or drugs misuse. Your relative’s alcohol or drugs misuse is not your fault. Family members, especially parents, often experience feelings of guilt and failure – believing that they are somehow to blame. Harbouring these feelings can lead family members to behave as though they are responsible for the substance user and their actions. There are many reasons why people use, and may go on to become dependent on, alcohol or drugs. However, it is the user who is always responsible for their using behaviour. Their decision to stop using alcohol or drugs is their choice and their responsibility. Feelings of guilt and responsibility can be overwhelming and difficult to let go of. Talking about negative feelings with your support network can help you to understand that it is not your fault. It can also be useful to join a family support group to get support from others in similar circumstances. The sooner you try to resolve these feelings then the easier it will be to set boundaries, talk to your loved one about their alcohol or drug use, and support yourself.”
I was very challenged by the way that that was put. For me it sums up very well what this issue is all about and sums up some of the thoughts and feelings that families can have.
I thank you again, Presiding Officer, and fellow members for allowing this debate to happen, and I look forward to hearing the other contributions.
12:43
I congratulate John Mason on securing this debate. He has brought an important topic to Parliament and I appreciate the opportunity to speak on his motion today.
As we have heard, alcohol and drug problems, particularly addiction, can affect the whole family—parents, children, grandparents and partners—but family can also be a tremendous source of support and guidance. People with addiction problems can and do recover. For many people, the support and understanding of family members is invaluable in that process.
For some, family have been a safety net. For others, the promise of a healthy family life is a powerful motivator in beating addiction, when people want to repair the relationships that drink or drug-fuelled behaviour has damaged. For families who are affected by that destructive—even self-destructive—behaviour, intervention to support the family and aid recovery is just as important. That is why I am pleased that the Parliament has taken the opportunity to explore the family dimension to recovery and highlight the good work of Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs and the extensive network of services and family support groups that operate across Scotland.
In my region, families can make use of the Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs helpline; they can also benefit from a range of other services, such as Families Anonymous, Relationships Scotland, Families Outside, Addaction, Coatbridge family support group, Liber8, which is based in Lanarkshire, the alcohol counselling team in North Lanarkshire and the community addiction team in South Lanarkshire. Support is out there to help not only the families, but the person who is close to them who has an alcohol or drug problem. Information is available to help families to understand how drink or drug-fuelled behaviour affects them and not just the person who is drinking or using. However, the briefing paper cited in John Mason's motion does suggest that more work is required.
Families have their own needs. The impact of drugs and drink is not just that people want their parent, child or partner to get clean, but is on the family as a whole, and that must be addressed. There is too little information on just how many people are affected by a loved one’s habit but, if we accept the estimates in the briefing paper, potentially we are talking about 300,000 people in Scotland, taking into account drug use alone, not alcohol.
People who are at risk of stress, anxiety, isolation and maybe even physical harm must be identified and have their needs properly assessed. Families and carers affected by the misuse of drugs and alcohol also deserve to be recognised in the Government’s strategies. At the very least, they deserve not to be overlooked and to have a voice in this Parliament. I hope that they will feel that, today, we have given them the voice that they deserve and that the changes that they want to see have moved a step closer as a result.
Before we move on, I remind our guests in the gallery that there is to be no photographing or filming of proceedings.
12:46
I echo Margaret McCulloch in congratulating John Mason on securing the motion for discussion.
The debate follows on from last year’s debate led by Gordon MacDonald, which covered a similar area, namely Al-Anon Family Groups, the support network offering strength and hope for friends and relatives of alcoholics. Today, we focus on another support network, Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs, and highlight the promoting family recovery across Scotland event that was held in Parliament last November. That highly informative lunch-time session was accompanied by a briefing paper that sits neatly alongside the Scottish Government’s strategy, “The Road to Recovery: A New Approach To Tackling Scotland’s Drug Problem”. Its emphasis is on the contribution that families can make to their loved ones who have become involved in substance abuse, whether that means attending medical appointments with them or giving them the necessary encouragement to turn their lives around.
I draw members’ attention to the Government's strategy for tackling alcohol abuse, “Changing Scotland’s Relationship with Alcohol: A Framework for Action”, which also champions the role played by families in helping their relatives who are struggling with addiction.
At the core of those strategies is a recognition of the difficulties that people experience when they see a family member or friend falling apart through drug or alcohol misuse. The impact can take many forms, ranging from mental and physical ill health, psychological distress and domestic abuse. A financial burden is also placed on families or friends, who find themselves in debt or acting as cash machines to fund an individual’s drug or drink addiction. We even hear cases of people resorting to theft to pay off the drug debts of a loved one.
That is why organisations such as Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs play such an important part in reaching out to individuals and families who are going through such emotionally challenging times. What is less well known is the work that the group does in engaging with many prominent Scottish academics and clinicians in analysing the increase in psychiatric illnesses, such as anxiety and depression, of family members affected by alcohol or drug misuse.
John Mason’s motion makes reference to Grampian and, as a member for North East Scotland, I reiterate the comments that I have made in previous debates about the work performed by the Grampian Family Support Forum and its founder, Sheila McKay.
Set up as recently as 2010 and funded by the Aberdeenshire alcohol and drug partnership, the Grampian Family Support Forum acts as an umbrella organisation within which local family support groups in Moray, Aberdeenshire and the city of Aberdeen can effectively communicate with one another—all drawing on their own experience to help other families stressed and stigmatised by addiction—and strive to get better services for people who are trying to recover from addiction and regain their lives.
Recovery can and does happen, as we heard during the debate that I was privileged to lead in Conservative debating time some 18 months ago, when many members made powerful speeches and recounted constituents’ experiences. I particularly remember the remarkable and inspiring story of Jane and her long and difficult journey from addiction to alcohol and drugs to abstinence. She is able to use her experience in giving professional counselling to other victims of addiction, as they try to follow her path to recovery.
There are many such inspirational stories, all of which are moving and all of which indicate that the contribution of families is continuous, arduous and extremely stressful, while being critical if sustained recovery is to be achieved.
We cannot discuss such issues too often. We must continue to champion groups and individuals who use their experience to support other families whose lives are blighted by the pernicious nature of drug and alcohol addiction. I commend John Mason for again drawing the Parliament’s attention to the invaluable and courageous efforts of those people.
12:51
I thank John Mason for securing this important debate.
We have heard how family, friends and carers can make a unique contribution to the assessment and sustained recovery of people who are affected by substance abuse. We have heard how they provide a source of care and support in the community.
However, there is no doubt that contending with a loved one’s addiction and the chaotic or intense lifestyle that can accompany it can be overwhelming and can place an enormous strain on relationships. Family members can feel drained, lonely, stigmatised, guilty and stressed. They are at increased risk of abuse and ill health. In the case of children, the situation can impact on their educational attainment and life choices and increases the risk that they themselves will develop substance abuse problems. Of course, sadly, bereavement poses further challenges for hundreds of families each year.
We must do all that we can to minimise such impacts. We must adopt an inclusive approach to recovery and focus on removing obstacles that discourage or prevent families from getting the assistance that they want. For a decade, Scottish Families Affected by Drugs provided assistance and effectively raised awareness of families’ needs, and I applaud the extension of its remit last year to encompass people who are struggling with alcohol. I welcome news that the charity is expanding the breadth and depth of its services, with a new family support development officer in my region, North East Scotland, and initiatives such as online family support groups.
Work in my region is complemented by that of organisations such as the Grampian Family Support Forum, which Nanette Milne mentioned. The forum was formed in 2010 by concerned parents and has established itself as a voice for the thousands of people who are affected by a loved one’s drugs misuse. It promotes family support groups and the benefits of mutual peer support. The chair, Sheila McKay, a founding member, told the Parliament at time for reflection in March 2012:
“We want to use our lived experience to make positive changes within our communities. Why? Because, when you are qualified to speak, people listen.”—[Official Report, 7 March 2012; c 6921-2.]
I believe in empowering such recovery networks. We must establish local services that are designed to meet local needs and are directed by local people.
Many of Scotland’s prisoners are battling addiction—40 per cent are likely to have an alcohol problem and two thirds test positive for illegal drug use on admission to prison. Given the clear links between those circumstances, I wonder whether there could be further collaboration between organisations that assist families who have loved ones in prison and organisations that deal with addiction. To what extent do formal throughcare arrangements exist to stop families falling between the cracks on an offender’s release? Perhaps the minister can shed some light on that.
The nature of Scotland’s relationship with drugs and alcohol can be changed only through significant social and cultural change. Early intervention and education are key; in the meantime we can work with volunteers and professionals to further develop the capacity that is required to help people who are recovering from addiction and the people who must contend with the consequences of that harm.
Parents, grandparents and siblings are among the people who are most at risk of further harm. However, they are often also best placed to influence the course of their loved one’s addiction, providing insight, improving outcomes and limiting the impact on other vulnerable family members.
Investment in a whole-family approach to the delivery of recovery services demonstrates that families are a fundamental part of the solution and not an afterthought.
12:55
I thank John Mason for addressing the issue of families who are affected by alcohol, drugs and other substance misuse. Given Scotland’s extremely high rate of people addicted to alcohol and drugs, it is crucial that we tackle all aspects related to substance misuse; one such aspect is support for the family members of those who are affected.
Most will be familiar with the Scottish Government’s briefing paper on promoting family recovery, which provides a framework for effective recovery measures. However, recovery is a broad concept and effective recovery involves not only supporting the clients who seek help but considering the importance of a client’s social environment. No matter whether we are talking about partners, family or friends, they all play a crucial role in the recovery process. We must recognise that only by taking into account all aspects related to reducing substance misuse can we make progress in lowering the number of those involved.
This afternoon, I want to raise awareness of those who are related to problem drug users. Although developing family support is a necessary step, we tend to forget about the relatives and friends who suffer as a result of the extensive effects that addictions often cause and it is essential that we provide them with the protection and support that they need to help them deal with the consequences of having a person with problem drug use in their family.
At the moment, around 52,000 Scots suffer from alcohol and drug addictions. Unfortunately, some who witness a parent misusing in their childhood will carry that burden throughout their life. In Scotland, the estimate for the number of children who are affected in this way is around 40,000 to 60,000. The devastating impact of such an experience on a child’s life is indisputable. Negative outcomes associated with parental drug abuse include decreased wellbeing and difficulties in achieving full educational potential, which could create obstacles to future employment. In addition, affected children are often exposed to higher risk of emotional and physical abuse.
Although statistical data collected within the Fife region indicates that alcohol and drug misuse is slightly lower than the Scottish average, that does not mean that we do not face the same challenges as the rest of the country. People in Fife have recognised the urgency of reducing alcohol and substance misuse and are particularly keen on reducing its profound impact on so many people’s lives.
In 2009, the Fife alcohol and drug partnership was established with the intention of improving community planning between local government, NHS Fife and third sector organisations. The strategy includes identifying and protecting those who are most likely to be affected by others’ substance misuse and aims to increase the number of services that create a safer and more supportive home environment for those vulnerable target groups. In 2013-14, £179,000 is being allocated towards achieving that goal. Indeed, the funding that was made available in 2012-13 allowed 37 children from 19 families to receive counselling and take part in various programmes. The figures show that, as a result of individual and group sessions, the impact of parental substance abuse on children was clearly reduced and parenting skills as well as family relationships were improved.
I want to highlight two organisations that receive funding from the Fife alcohol and drug partnership: the Drug and Alcohol Project Limited and Fife Alcohol Support Service. Those organisations provide an invaluable service in helping to support people who have been affected in some way by alcohol, drug and other substance misuse. DAPL has supported people in Fife with alcohol, drug and solvent misuse issues since 1994 and, in 2013, it started what has turned out to be an extremely successful summer programme for young people and their family members, the key goals of which are reinforcing family engagement and positive parenting.
Fife Alcohol Support Service, which is based in Kirkcaldy, offers counselling services to those who are affected by heavy alcohol consumption. In 2012-13, the organisation offered counselling sessions to 301 clients with the aim of addressing all the problems that arose from alcohol abuse. Among that number were several family members and friends who sought help with the drinking of someone in their social environment. Most of the individuals who received counselling had a remarkably positive response to the sessions and felt that their psychological wellbeing had improved significantly.
Even though a large number of charitable organisations are now well established in Fife and are co-operating with local government and the NHS through the drug and alcohol partnership, too many people are still suffering from the devastating effects of alcohol and drug abuse. As has been mentioned, children are particularly vulnerable. I think that we would all agree that no child deserves to be hindered in developing his or her full potential. The aim for the future is to identify and support each and every child who suffers from parental drug misuse, provide them with services that meet their needs and ensure that they grow up in a safe home environment.
I commend the dedicated work of DAPL and Fife Alcohol Support Service, which I believe to be truly beneficial to many of my constituents. I praise all other organisations that dedicate themselves to providing such valuable support services in Fife and throughout Scotland. I hope that those initiatives will be able to successfully continue their support services for all those who are affected directly or indirectly by substance misuse.
13:00
Like other members, I thank John Mason for securing today’s debate and for his opening speech. As Mr Mason mentioned, I was indeed delighted to host a parliamentary reception in November for Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs, which allowed us to hear from those on the front line who are dealing with families affected by drug and alcohol abuse. The chief executive of Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs, Christine Duncan, spoke very movingly at that event—and at time for reflection in the Parliament on 4 February—about the stigma that society attaches to addiction and the lack of sympathy and understanding not just for the individual, but for their families, too. She also spoke of the allocation of blame that is often expressed. John Mason talked about the guilt that is felt and Nanette Milne talked about anxiety. It is those issues—the wider repercussions for the families and communities that are affected—that make this debate so important.
Before I move on to family recovery, I want to highlight the grim reality of the increased trend in alcohol and drug-related deaths in Scotland. In 1992, there were 153 drug-related deaths, but by 2012 the number was 581. Thirty years ago, 572 people died in alcohol-related circumstances, but by 2012 the number had almost doubled and was 1,080. I mention those statistics to highlight that this is not a problem that is going away. Although there have been limited reductions in recent years, the long-term trend is an increase in deaths.
Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs highlighted another statistic that caught my eye, which is that the majority of drug-related deaths happen at home. That makes the role of family members crucial not just in the recovery process but in creating an environment in which there can be early intervention to prevent the drug taking and potentially save a life.
Of course, as members have pointed out, Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs is not just a policy-making organisation; first and foremost it provides practical help to those who are directly affected. At November’s event, we heard from some of the mothers and grandmothers in Aberdeen who have formed a network of support for each other. With regard to East Dunbartonshire, Claire Wadsworth from Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs spoke to us and described very powerfully how she had brought together the parents, wives, husbands and even children of drug and alcohol users, who found it of immediate benefit.
If we are to permanently change Scotland’s relationship with alcohol and drugs, we need to look to family interventions at an early stage to support people into treatment programmes and to support families afterwards. In fact, early intervention with families will not only reduce the number of needless deaths, but could free up many of the acute services that are often called upon at times of crisis. Studies show that preventative spend in family support services pays huge dividends in reducing demand on health services.
As John Mason pointed out in his motion, up to half a dozen other people within the family are directly or indirectly affected by drug and alcohol misuse. The United Kingdom Drug Policy Commission estimates that the cost of the harm to family members in Scotland runs to about £229 million per year and that the support that they provide would cost around £95 million to replace. Few of us think in purely financial terms about the impact of those interventions, but the figures are quite striking.
So, what more can we do? We need to promote far more widely the existing evidence so that those who are involved appreciate the benefits of involving family members at each stage of the recovery process. We could and should use the health advertising spend to expand knowledge and reduce stigma. There also needs to be far better integration of specialist and generic rehabilitation services to increase the opportunities for family members to be engaged in the process.
The Scottish Government has done much to support work in this area, and I acknowledge those efforts. In spite of that, however, Scotland continues to battle with drug and alcohol abuse. If we are to make a fundamental difference, part of the answer must lie in supporting family and not just individual recovery.
13:04
I thank members for their thoughtful contributions. I would have expected no less, given the subject matter of the debate. That confirms that the Parliament continues to recognise the needs of families and is committed to supporting and promoting family recovery across Scotland.
As a member of the Government, I restate the Government’s commitment to families. We will continue to listen to, support and work with families. We will do that in a number of different ways: through a commitment to faster access to treatment and support, on which we have made big strides; through sustained record investment in front-line drug services; through a drive to improve service quality, including our response to the independent expert group on opiate replacement therapies; and through our commitment to grow recovery across Scotland. In addition, we fund voluntary organisations such as SFAD. The Government increased its funding to enable SFAD to work with families who are affected by both drugs and alcohol, and the organisation has now taken on that new role.
We are committed to supporting vulnerable children and their families, and we recently published updated good practice guidance, “Getting Our Priorities Right”, for all agencies and practitioners working with children, young people and families affected by alcohol and drugs. That ensures that local partners have robust risk assessment procedures in place where children are at risk. That partnership includes a wide variety of services.
We continue to work in partnership with the Lloyds TSB Foundation partnership drugs initiative to support families directly. Like many other members, I was pleased to attend the successful event in Parliament last November, which was convened by Ken Macintosh, at which SFAD presented its briefing paper, “Promoting Family Recovery Across Scotland”. Ken Macintosh spoke eloquently today about the impact of death on families, and I will say a little bit more about that later.
We need to remind ourselves that the Scottish Drugs Forum provides critical incident and naloxone training. In making that available to families, the forum teaches them how to respond in an overdose situation. If naloxone is available, it teaches them how to use it. The Government continues to encourage family members and friends to participate in that training. It is important that such training is available. Ken Macintosh is right to highlight the impact of a death and the enormous negative consequences that it has within a family.
The paper that SFAD produced acknowledged that every person with a drug problem is part of a family, and that reminds us that families cope with their family member’s addiction every single day—it is not something that they dip into and out of. I am sure that there is not one of us who has not been moved by the experiences of families who are affected by drugs or alcohol.
John Mason is right to highlight the many different groups that are now working in this general area. Like him, when I meet families from across Scotland, I am always profoundly inspired by their resilience and commitment both to their family and to the potential of their family members to recover. I am also inspired by their willingness to share their experiences and, by so doing, to help others who are going through difficult times, too. As Alison McInnes reminded us, we should remember the families who have already experienced bereavement as a consequence of addiction in their family and yet still go out and help others. We continue to build our awareness of the needs of families in that situation.
Families need support, too, and the role that is played by national organisations and local support groups is vital to families. I am glad that the Parliament has recognised that. Organisations such as SFAD continue to offer advice and support, as well as bringing people together to share and learn from experiences of supporting the family unit through the recovery journey. Family recovery is being positively promoted and supported right across Scotland. SFAD is working with around 70 family support groups, and it is encouraging to hear that two new groups offering support to families are starting up every month.
In Grampian, SFAD and Scottish training on drugs and alcohol—STRADA—are providing family-inclusive practice training to the local workforce, and the Grampian Family Support Forum is supporting local family groups in their development. Understandably, Nanette Milne spent much of her speech outlining the various groups in the Grampian area.
In East Dunbartonshire, the family support group that was started by SFAD is well established, so much so that SFAD is currently developing a second group in the area. Success begets success. Margaret McCulloch listed just some of the local groups that are involved in her area, as did David Torrance with regard to Fife. Other members will have similar lists from their own areas.
Family experiences are central in raising awareness of new drug trends, which we debated in this chamber recently. The work of SFAD continues to be central in informing our work on new psychoactive substances at a national level. People should see this as a two-way process: SFAD informs us, helps us and gives us guidance, too.
Alcohol and drug partnerships across Scotland also play a key role in supporting families and individuals in their recovery, as part of their local packages of action to address drug and alcohol problems. By working together, the nationally commissioned organisations such as SFAD, the Scottish Recovery Consortium, the Scottish Drugs Forum and STRADA can focus on understanding and sharing lived experiences of recovery, as well as tackling stigma—Ken Macintosh and one or two other members mentioned that—which is one of the greatest challenges that families face.
Alison McInnes raised the issue of joining up service delivery, particularly for people coming out of prison. She will be happy to know that the cabinet secretary recently set up a joint ministerial group on offender reintegration, of which I am a member, as are other ministers. The group was brought into being precisely for the reasons that Alison McInnes outlined: to begin to see issues right across different ministerial portfolios.
Building on the commitments that we made at the members’ business debate on families, convened by Nanette Milne in 2012—I have not forgotten that she was very keen to discuss the issue at that point—let us recommit today as a Parliament to continue to listen to families who need support, support the family unit as a whole, do all that we can to tackle stigma and support and promote recovery, and ensure that valuable examples of good work continue to be shared and learned from.
I thank John Mason for today’s debate, which has helped to ensure that this important issue continues to be on the Parliament’s agenda. I thank Christine Duncan and SFAD for their on-going commitment to supporting families and raising awareness of the issues that affect them.
13:12
Meeting suspended.
14:00
On resuming—