Therapeutic Care & Wellbeing

Drugs and Alcohol Abuse

Online course CareCPD accredited Included with Nest Learn

Substance use among young people in residential care is common, and staff responses often swing between panic and permissiveness. This course gives you the underlying facts — how alcohol and cannabis affect a developing brain, the realities of dependency, and the risks of smoking and vaping — alongside the relationship skills that make a young person willing to talk to you.

It includes clinical perspectives on the risks and a clear look at what treatment and support are available.

At a glance

FormatOnline, self-paced
AccreditationCareCPD
CertificateIssued on completion
CategoryTherapeutic care
Assigned viaLearning Paths

What this course covers

  • Explain what problem drinking is, how alcohol affects the body, and why adolescence increases the risk of harm.
  • Describe cannabis use, dependency and its effects on young people's mental health.
  • Assess the health and social implications of smoking, vaping and wider substance use, and support a young person who wants to stop.
  • Separate common myths from evidence about drugs and alcohol, and explain the treatment options available.

Who it is for

Residential support workers, senior support workers, team leaders and Registered Managers working in children's homes.

How it works in Nest Learn

01
Assign it
Add it to a Learning Path for induction or mandatory training, or assign it to individuals with a deadline.
02
Staff complete it
It appears in My Training with a clear next action: start, continue or renew.
03
Track it in the Matrix
Status shows as Complete, In progress, Overdue, Expired or Not assigned, per staff member and per Home.
04
Keep the evidence
A certificate is issued automatically and stays attached to the record with the audit history.
Certificates for this course can be verified with CareCPD directly.

This course is included with Nest Learn

Along with over 30 others, plus the tools to assign, track, evidence and report staff training across every Home.