Children and Young People
BDP can support children and young people affected by their own drug and alcohol use or that of somebody around them.
Children and Young People
BDP can support children and young people affected by their own drug and alcohol use or that of somebody around them.
BDP Youth Team
New Leaf – Cannabis and child criminal exploitation support
Youth groups
Family support
How to access our services
Make a referral
Contact Us
BDP Youth work
The BDP Youth Work team provide free and confidential support around alcohol and/or other drugs for children and young people aged 11 – 19 years old (Up to 25 years old for individuals with learning difficulties and disabilities) throughout Bristol.
This service is for young people where there is a concern about their own alcohol or other drug use, or they are affected by family substance use.
We can work with young people regardless of what they are using, including cannabis, alcohol, nitrous oxide and cocaine.
What we offer:
- 12 weeks of 1-to-1 support for young people who are using substances or if they are affected by familial substance use.
- As well as in person, young people can access support on the phone, text WhatsApp and video chat.
- Drug use workshops for groups of young people who are at risk to potentially using substances.
- Outreach and detached work around the city with frequent visits to other youth service organisations and communities.
- Advice and support for young people’s workers who are working with a young person who might use substances.
To chat with one of the team, please:
Call 0117 987 6008
Email bdpyouthwork@bdp.org.uk
To make a referral, please fill in this form
Cannabis Support – New Leaf
New Leaf is a project within our existing BDP Youth Team and aims to provide targeted support for young people aged 11-19 who are adversely affected by cannabis. New Leaf will work with a young person for up to 6 months through 1-to-1 sessions and group work.
We hope to help young people by reducing dependency through offering alternative ways of thinking, building positive peer relationships and building motivation for diversionary activities. This project provides support for young people using cannabis who are most at risk from Child Criminal Exploitation, Child Sexual Exploitation, Anti-Social Behaviour and Serious Youth Violence, including knife crime.
New Leaf Rapid is a new project working with young people at risk of exclusion from education due to drug possession or the direct impact on behaviours of parental alcohol and other drug use. The project works with Safer Options (Bristol’s Violence Reduction Unit) to use Bristol’s Drugs in School Pathway to support young people to change. New Leaf Rapid responds in 48 hours, offers schools additional help and advice to reduce exclusions and alternatively provide young people 6-12 weeks one to one support, addressing their drug use and behaviours.
To contact New Leaf please email newleaf@bdp.org.uk or call 0117 987 6009
Youth Groups
Our Family Team run a free and confidential youth group for children and young people who are living with a family member who uses alcohol or drugs.
Our youth group is an opportunity to get out for the evening and have some fun with other young people. We have groups for 5 – 10 year olds and for 11 – 16 year olds, covering the whole of Bristol. We have dinner together and do activities including arts and crafts, outdoor play, cooking and 1-to-1 time if a young person wants to take some time out.
All groups are held for two hours one week-day evening a week, twice a month for 5 – 10 year olds and monthly for 11 – 16 year olds. Transport is arranged to get the young person there and take them home again, either by car or minibus.
To make a referral to our M32 Youth Group, please click here.
To find out more, please contact our Family Team on the number below.
Family Support
If you are a parent or carer, we have a range of support available for your child who may be being affected by your alcohol or drug use.
Meet Louise one of our Families in Focus link workers in this short video
Click here to open the videoFor professionals working within Family in Focus (formerly Early Help), a Bristol Children’s Centre or Children and Family Services we can provide information, advice and guidance, as well as training to professionals about substance use and families. You can contact our Family Team on 0117 987 6009.
Accessing Support
The BDP Youth Team can be accessed through schools, colleges, training academies, alternative learning provisions and other youth services across Bristol. We can also work flexibly and meet young people in alternative community settings. If they attend college or school outside of Bristol or have left education, we can meet them in different venues.
Please find a selection of the places we offer support in our Youth Work Map below.
Make a referral
If you are a professional who wants to refer a young person, you can fill out a referral form found on our lead partner service, Creative Youth Network’s website. You will see the option for help for a young person using drugs or alcohol or if affected by someone else use towards the end of the form.
For more information, or if you are a parent or carer, please contact our team on 0117 987 6008.
Contact Us
To get in contact with the team please:
Call 0117 987 6009
Email info@bdp.org.uk
Visit us: 11 Brunswick Square, Bristol, BS2 8PE
