Setting up and running an FDAC

The are lots of resources to support the setting up of a FDAC and the team at the Centre for Justice Innovation and staff of the existing FDACs are all keen to see more FDACs created.

Please get in touch with us here and we can guide you through the resources available. Please email fdac@justiceinnovation.org.

This leaflet, Thinking about developing a family drug and alcohol court? is a useful starting point if you are thinking of starting an FDAC. It covers:

• An introduction to the FDAC model and how it has developed.
• Details of FDAC principles and service standards: you will want to ensure fidelity to the evaluated model.
• Who to involve: local social care and judicial champions, and the early involvement of potential partner agencies, give greatest chance of success.
• Governance: your Steering Group, Operational Group and project manager will make all the difference.
• Scoping the need: you need to establish how many FDAC cases you are likely to have per year.
• Mapping resources: determine the range of services that can be drawn on and the gaps that the specialist team might need to fill.
• Court considerations: think about court location, case listings, providing judicial continuity, and the use of space in and beyond the court room.
• The specialist team: the ethos of the team and its multi-disciplinary composition are important, as are links with but independence from the local authority, and the role of parent mentors.
• Finances: consider start-up costs, the cost per family receiving the service, and sharing the costs and benefits with partner agencies.
• Evaluation: you will want to track case variables, use standardised tools to measure change over time, and compare child and parent outcomes with other sites and with the independent evaluation of the original UK FDAC model.