Drug and alcohol use can threaten and ultimately destroy family relationships and wellbeing. We empower family members and carers, support frontline workers and influence decision-makers to stop this happening.

Adfam is the national charity working to improve life for families affected by drugs or alcohol.

Our vision

We want anyone affected by someone else's drug or alcohol use to have the chance to benefit from healthy relationships, be part of a loving and supportive family and enjoy mental and physical wellbeing.

Our mission

Drug and alcohol use can threaten and ultimately destroy family relationships and wellbeing. We empower family members and carers, support frontline workers and influence decision-makers to stop this happening.

What we value

We listen to families and frontline workers

We know that people who face challenges often also have answers. So what we do is informed by our supporters: using compassion and evidence we inform, support and empower both people affected by a loved one's substance misuse and the workers who support them. We build skills, resources, confidence and pathways so both groups can help themselves, their peers, clients and communities.

We're driven by what works

The impact of substance use on family relationships and wellbeing is both profound and varied. We approach our work with care and close attention to what works in the real world. To do this we embrace evidence in all its diversity, never underestimating the value of real-life experience as well as formal research evidence. Our work is driven by our friends, supporters and colleagues and what they tell us works.

We're serious about our mission

We are serious about our work, and our partnerships, and committed to delivering them to the highest quality. We know that prejudice and stigma are barriers to recovery and cause harm, and we promise to treat individuals and families affected by drugs and alcohol with respect and dignity. We want to see a society free from stigma towards drug and alcohol users and their families, and will fight until it exists.

Who we work with

Families, friends and carers

We inform and empower those affected by another's substance use, and amplify their voices to ensure they have a stake in the issues that affect them.

Frontline workers

We build the confidence, capacity and capability of practitioners to ensure the support they deliver is effective and appropriate.

Decision-makers

We engage and influence key national and local decision-makers to shape policy and ensure they understand the issues the families we work with face every day.