Clacton Problem Drinkers Group
| Published date | 01 June 1984 |
| DOI | 10.1177/026455058403100204 |
| Author | Annette Stewart |
| Date | 01 June 1984 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
51
Clacton
Problem
Drinkers
Group
Annette
Stewart
Probation
Officer,
Clacton
Clients
with
a
drink
problem
tend
to
be
demanding,
and
it
is
difficult,
given
the
time
constraints
of
the
job,
to
meet
their
needs
purely
by
one-to-one
work.
The
author
describes
three
years
experience
of
specialist
group
work
in
her
team,
links
this
to
other
available
help,
and
demonstrates
what
is
possible
in
a
medium-sized
town
with
very
limited
resources.
Aims
and
Purpose
The
group
has
evolved
over
time
and
catered
for
a
wide
range
of
problem
drinker.
Broadly,
however,
the
group
now
has
the
following
aims’
(i)
To
promote
and
encourage
self-awareness
amongst
drinkers
and
help
them
achieve
a
degree
of
motivation
whereby
they
can
be
referred
on
for
specialist
help
if
available .
(ii)
To
encourage
the
less
severely
affected
to
control
their
intake
(m)
To
provide
ongoing
support
for those
hav-
ing
undergone
a
course
of
treatment
(iv)
At
its
most
basic
level
to
provide
an
alcohol
free
environment
during
opining
hours’
on
a
regular
basis
for those
with
a
drink
problem
to
mix
socially
and
talk
about
issues
relevant
to
them
Membership
Criteria
Group
members
do
not
attend
as
a
condition
of
a
Court
Order
but
most
members
are
statutonly
involved
with
the
Probation
Service
It is often not
until
someone
has
been
on
probation
for
some
time
that
a
specific
alcohol
problem
is
identified
or
acknowledged by
a cl ient
Bearing
in
nund the
wide
range
of
problems
presented
and
the
differing
degrees
of
severity
of
alcohol
abuse,
our
criteria
are
deliberately
broad’
(i)
Members
should
acknowledge
that
they
have
a
dnnk
problem
and
want
to
do
something
about
it.
(n)
The
group
will
meet
each
Friday
between
10
30 a m -
12.00
noon
(m)
Anyone
under
the
influence
of
alcohol
is
banned
from
that
particular
session
(iv)
Members
are
not
obliged
to
attend
every
week.
Group
size
vanes
from
week
to
week,
between
2-8,
averaging
4
or
5.
(v)
There
is
no
fixed
agenda
The Group is led
by
a
probation
officer
with
a
probation
assis-
tant
Other
helpers
are
co-opted
as
available
dependmg
upon
how
the
group
is
developing
ataparticulartnne
We have,
for example,
used
students
and
voluntary
associates
Programme
We
do
not
work
to
an
agenda
or a
fixed
pro-
gramme
m
order
to
encourage
as
many
people
on
a
’casual’
basis,
as
possible.
What
we
are
offer-
ing
is
a
time
and
a
space
to
discuss
problems
rele-
vant
to
group
members.
The
structure
and
direction
of
any
particular
session
is
guided
by
the
group
leader
and
helpers,
who
encourage
and
promote
discussion
on
alcohol
related
matters.
A
major
function
of
the
group
workers
is
to
be
sensitive
to
the
dynamics
of the
group
particularly
in
terms
of
protecting
vulnerable
members,
gently
‘easmg
in’
new
members,
etc
Where
a
common
need
emerges
specific
reasons
are
planned
to
deal
with
particular
problems,
e
g
relaxation
thereapy,
welfare
rights,
marital
therapy,
etc.
It
often
applies
that
two
or
three
group
members
identify
a
problem
relevant
to
them
In
those
circumstances
sessions
extra
to
the
Group
are
arranged,
rather
than
involving
the
whole
group
A
closed
group
with
a
fixed
programme
in
those
circumstances
seems
most
appropriate
The
open
ended
nature
ot
a
group
such
as
this
does
not
lend
itself
easily
to
accurate
analysis
and
the
very
nature
of
the
group
renders
it
difficult
to
draw
specific
conclusions
The
Table
however
represents
an
analysis
of the
characteristics
of those
who
have
attended
the
group.
Linking
with
Other
Resources
Our
clients
are
often
referred
via
the
Police
and
the
Courts
to
our
Service
and
thus
to
my
problem
drinkers
group.
However,
through
orgamsations
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