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# 3.1 An example of problem-solving courts in the UK: FDAC

This section explores Family Drug and Alcohol Courts (FDAC) in the UK. They are explored as an example of dealing with social rupture using a problem-solving model. As you will see, they are more person-centred and seek to understand much more of the specific detail behind what has led to a social rupture. Their aim is to problem solve and, if possible, seek to reconnect a person who is struggling with a more supportive social environment, thus facilitating a different kind of repair to an adversarial court.

You will learn about the family drug and alcohol courts by hearing about the experiences of real people who have worked or been through proceedings in FDAC. Specifically, you will hear from:

- Heidi, a parent who has been through the FDAC process
- Charley, a solicitor working for a local authority in relation to the FDAC process
- Si, a practitioner working in the Milton Keynes and Buckinghamshire FDAC
- Jenny, a team manager in the Milton Keynes and Buckinghamshire FDAC
- Katie, a parent who has been through the FDAC process.

In the below clips, each of the five people discuss their experiences of FDAC. Listen to one or more of the audio clips, and then answer the corresponding question(s) in Activity 1.

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Audio 1 Heidi
Transcript

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Audio 2 Charley
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Audio 3 Si
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Audio 4 Jenny
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Audio 5 Katie
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Now that you’ve listened to one or more audio clip(s), answer the question(s) below relating to the audio(s) you listened to. You do not need to answer all of the questions.

## Activity 1 Check your understanding

1. Heidi said that a big help in her work with FDAC was:

a. Being told that she would have contact once a week at most
b. Being treated like a human and not a statistic
c. Both of the above

2. Charley spoke about the approach that FDAC attempts to take. The FDAC approach supports parents by:

a. Treating alcohol and drug problems as standalone issues
b. Focusing on short-term ‘fixes’ to issues, to fit within a 26-week window of support
c. Offering multidisciplinary support, recognising the links between alcohol and drug issues, and other difficulties in people’s lives

3. According to Si, FDAC continues to develop it’s practices by:

a. Taking a fixed approach, which should not change
b. Being open to continued review
c. Making it up as it goes along, with practices based on what practitioners think is best

4. Jenny mentioned that the foundations of court work should be:

a. Relationship-based, to build trust
b. Results-focused, to maximise the statistical measures of success
c. Dictated by budgets, to ensure that each case had a fixed cost

5. Katie spoke about FDAC being:

a. More involved than her previous social worker, resulting in more trust with the FDAC workers
b. More involved than her previous social worker, resulting in less trust with the FDAC workers
c. Less involved than her previous social worker, resulting in less trust with the FDAC workers
d. Less involved than her previous social worker, resulting in more trust with the FDAC workers
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