About the service
A free, confidential substance misuse service for children and young people who need support around their own or another person’s drug or alcohol use. The service works with anyone between 5 and 25 years of age in Warwickshire. Our caring and friendly health and wellbeing workers are available at a time that suits you and at a place where you feel comfortable.
How the service can help you
Contact us if you need support:
- With your own or someone else’s drug or alcohol use
- Because you are affected by someone else’s drug or alcohol use
How you can access the service
If you’re a young person, parent or professional and would like to refer yourself or an individual in to the service, you can do so by using the online referral form below.
If you feel that you, or someone you know, would benefit from our support, you would like some more information about the service, or to talk to a member of the team before referring, you can get in touch anytime via:
- Our confidential call back request form
- ChatHealth confidential text messaging on 07507 331 525
- Telephone on 01788 578 227 to speak to one of our friendly team
Our office hours are Mon-Thurs 09:00 to 17:00 and Friday 09:00 to 16:30 or we will get back to you within one working day outside these hours.
Compass Stars (our hidden harm service)
Supporting children and young people who have been affected by another’s drug and alcohol use.
We offer age appropriate information, 1:1 support, workforce training, group work, health promotion, early intervention, whole family support where appropriate, safety planning and a multi agency approach.
Please find further details of our Compass Stars service here:
SMART recovery meetings
Compass Warwickshire SMART Recovery Family & Friends is a mutual aid support group held at Hill Street Youth Centre in Rugby every Wednesday from 3.00 to 4.30pm. The aim of the group is to provide advice, information, and a safe space to discuss the impact of living with a young person using illicit substances.
Please book below under the family and friends tab.
The SMART recovery newsletter provides information regarding the festive period and some tips on staying safe during this time.
Drop-ins at Hill street community centre
Our drop-ins are currently running every Wednesday 3pm-5pm at Hill street community centre in Rugby. Compass may be joined by connect for health or the sexual health team and young people are welcome to pop in and say hello to some friendly faces.
Nitazenes – drug alert
ALERT: We have recently received intel of a positive nitazine test conducted on a batch of heroin in the local area. The harm reduction advise is below.
New opioids have arrived in the UK in recent years, called “nitazenes”. These are synthetic opioids and have been found in a number of substances, these are responsible for a number of accidental overdoses in different areas of the UK.
WEDINOS, a drug testing lab in Wales, has detected nitazenes in:
• Diazepams/Flubromazolam/Valium/Xanax
• Opioids (Oxycodone/oxycontin) and Heroin
• Cannabis
• Illegal vapes (unclear if for cannabis or nicotine)
Harm reduction advise is:
• If you are going to mix drugs, use less of each. Low and slow.
• Try not to use drugs alone, and don’t let your mates use them alone either. Watch out for signs of overdose in your friends.
• Always carry naloxone. If someone overdoses, give naloxone to them and call an ambulance. We provide naloxone to our young people along with information around it.
Information taken off CGL website and also Release.org. You can find out more by clicking the button below.
Hospital Liaison work
Compass are completing reactionary work with young people that present with substance use/alcohol difficulties within a hospital setting, specifically A&E. We visit University Hospital (UHCW) in Coventry and George Eliot Hospital in Nuneaton to offer harm reduction, brief interventions, and hidden harm support. We can also refer into the core team to offer continued and consistent support to prevent further crisis situations or hospital interventions.
NEET
Compass have a designated NEET worker. Gemma works with individuals whose drug and alcohol use has impacted their education, employment or training. She works in partnership with other services to provide opportunities in this area for our young people.
NALOXONE
As part of our harm reduction aim, compass have started to distribute naloxone to our young people and their families. This is an important part of our service due to the recent issue with Nitazenes, see above.
Harm reduction
Pills, powder or gas:
- They should take a small amount (perhaps a quarter or one small line or inhale small puff ) and wait for it to take effect before further use.
- Go low and slow
- Don’t use alone and look out for your friends.
- Avoid mixing drugs and using alcohol at the same time.
- It’s important to dispose of them where no-one else can get hurt by them: an amnesty bin or pharmacy (not down the toilet or in a rubbish bin).
Urgent Mental Health support – provided by Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust
For more information please see the leaflet below:
Feedback
We really value your feedback! Please fill in the survey below to let us know how we are doing.
Meet the team
Stuart
Service Manager
Hi I’m Stuart. My role takes overall responsibility for the management of CYPDAS Warwickshire, maintaining compliance of our commissioned services and ensuring young people receive the most effective, engaging service possible.
Suz
Team leader
Hi, I'm Suz and I am the compass team leader.
Alastair
Health and Wellbeing Worker
My name is Alastair and I’m a health and wellbeing worker for Compass, based in North Warwickshire. I work with young people up to the age of 25, either with a substance misuse issue themselves, or affected in some way by another’s substance misuse.
Robyn
Health and wellbeing worker
Hi, I'm Robyn. I am a health and wellbeing transitional worker for Compass.
Abbie
Health and wellbeing worker
My name is Abbie and my role within Compass is a health and wellbeing worker working with young people.
Helen
Health and Wellbeing worker HH
My name is Helen Butler and I am the Health and Wellbeing worker for the Rugby area, covering hidden harm work.
Karen
Youth Justice Worker
Hi, my names Karen and I am the Youth Justice Worker for compass in the North of the county, so I work with young people aged 10-25 years old who have come to the attention of the police and criminal justice system.
Hiten
Youth justice worker
Hi, My name is Hiten and I am a youth justice worker for the south of the county and work with young people who have come to the attention of police.
Chloe
Senior Administrator
Hi, My name is Chloe and I am the administrator for Compass young persons service. I respond to incoming calls and emails from external services and record data. I will go far and beyond to support the young people in our service.
Gemma
Health and wellbeing worker
Hi, My name's Gemma. I support children and young people whose drug and alcohol use has impacted their education, employment or training.
Megan
Health and wellbeing engagement worker
Hi, My name is Megan and I am the engagement worker for Compass. I cover the whole of Warwickshire and I deliver drug awareness sessions in schools, colleges, youth groups etc.
I also deliver training to professionals.
Lorraine
Health and wellbeing worker
Hi, I'm Lorraine and I am the Substance Misuse Practitioner supporting young people working with the FAS-Team.
Help & support
For information about relevant health and wellbeing topics please expand the sections below.
Children
I am aged under 11 years
Young People
I am aged 11-19 years (up to 25 years old with special educational needs)
Parents / Carers
I am a parent / carer
Professionals
I am a professional