Guest Speaker dawn holmes
Hidden Harm: Understanding the Impact of Parental and Youth Substance Use
Parental substance use can have a profound impact on children's lives, yet its effects often go unseen.
In this 2-hour CPD webinar, Dawn Holmes explores Hidden Harm, helping you recognise signs of vulnerability, strengthen safeguarding practice and build confidence in supporting children, young people and families. The session also examines current trends in young people's substance use and the factors that influence risk and resilience.
Duration
2 Hours
Format
Live online training
CPD
5 CPD points
Price
£80 + VAT
Designed for
Thrive Practitioners
HIDDEN HARM CPD
Overview
Parental substance use can have a profound yet often-unseen impact on children's safety, emotional wellbeing, development and family functioning.
Focusing on Hidden Harm, this session explores the lived experiences of children and young people affected by parental substance use, including vulnerability, disrupted attachment, caring responsibilities, stigma and barriers to support. Participants will gain insight into evidence-based, trauma-informed approaches to identification, engagement, safeguarding and whole-family support, with a strong focus on early intervention.
The session will also examine young people's own substance use, covering emerging trends, common substances and motivations for use. It will explore how trauma, mental health, neurodiversity, peer influence, exploitation and wider social factors can shape behaviour, risk and decision-making.
HIDDEN HARM CPD
What you’ll gain from this CPD
Explore how observation and reflection can strengthen social skills and peer relationships, and gain practical ideas you can use in the classroom.
- Understand Hidden Harm and its impact on children and young people.
- Strengthen confidence in identifying risk and safeguarding concerns.
- Increase awareness of young people’s substance use and emerging trends.
- Build knowledge of trauma-informed and harm reduction approaches.
- Enhance whole-family and multi-agency practice.
- How parental substance use affects children's wellbeing, safety and development.
- How to recognise signs of Hidden Harm, including neglect and caring responsibilities.
- Current trends, substances and patterns of use among young people.
- Factors influencing substance use, including trauma, mental health and peer influence.
- Practical approaches to safeguarding, early intervention and family support.
- Why trauma-informed, whole-family working improves outcomes.
Our guest speaker
Dawn brings more than 25 years’ experience in substance use, safeguarding and family support, specialising in evidence-based approaches that improve outcomes for children, young people and families.
Dawn Holmes
National Specialist in Substance Use, Safeguarding & Family Support
Dawn Holmes is Operations Manager for Turning Point’s Adult, Young People and Families Services and serves as the organisation’s National Young Person’s Lead. With over 25 years’ experience across substance use, safeguarding and family support, she has led operational, transformational and strategic initiatives across the UK. Holding a BSc in Psychology and a PGCE in Addictions, Executive Coaching and Mentoring, Dawn specialises in developing evidence-based services that improve outcomes for children, young people, adults and families facing complex challenges.
Book Now
Choose your session
See the available dates and times for this course below. When you've found a session that works for you, you can book your place.
Our October 2026 start dates
PA10341 - Guest Speaker - Hidden Harm and Young People: Understanding the Impact of Parental Substance Use, Youth Substance Use Trends, and Effective Support
Start date: 5th October 2026
End date: 5th October 2026
1 Session
300 Places left
£80 ex VAT
Session dates:
- Mon 5th October 2026 - 10:00am - 12:00pm
SECURE YOUR PLACE
Fees & next steps
Course fee: £78 + VATBook your place above to secure your spot on this 2-hour CPD session for Thrive Practitioners.
This session is suitable for Thrive Licensed Practitioners working with both primary and secondary-aged pupils.
It supports your ongoing CPD requirements to maintain your Thrive Licensed Practitioner status.
