Kate to tour Action on Addiction centre on next engagement
The Duchess of Cambridge is focusing on another cause close to her heart as part of her next engagement, following a number of outings this month highlighting foster care and children's mental health. On Dec. 10, she will bring attention to those fighting addiction.
As patron of Action on Addiction, Kate will visit the charity's Centre for Addiction Treatment Studies in Warminster, England. The duchess will see how the centre provides training, education and professional development for those working in addiction and other related fields.
As patron of Action on Addiction, Kate will visit their Centre for Addiction Treatment Studies.
After meeting course tutors and examiners and learning about their training, Kate will join a ceremony to celebrate the graduation of students from the Foundation and Honours degree programs accredited by the University of Bath.
The centre, in partnership with the university, trains addiction counsellors to a higher standard than ever before. It has long been recognized that the addiction treatment field suffers from an inadequately trained workforce.
So far, 200 people have graduated from the Centre and during her forthcoming engagement Kate will no doubt want to congratulate this year's successful grads. More than 60 per cent of students have disclosed either a family connection or declared themselves in recovery.
Kate will also receive an update on the local M-PACT programs, which take a whole-family approach to tackling substance misuse, meeting families and participants and hearing about the charity's work with the children of addicted parents.
The Duchess will learn about the training that staff undertake to help those battling addiction.
Prince William's wife has visited a number of Action on Addiction's services and has seen addiction treatment of individuals and families first-hand.
Tim Leighton, director of professional education and research at the organization, said that staff were "delighted" that Kate is keen to visit the Centre to find out more about the people who help those suffering with addiction.
Kate's last engagement with the charity was in September, when she visited a women's prison in Surrey. The duchess met inmates who are battling addictions to drugs and alcohol and later said she was "grateful" to the women "for sharing their difficult personal stories."
"I was reminded today how addictions lie at the heart of so many social issues and how substance misuse can play such destructive role in vulnerable people's lives," said Kate. "I saw again today that a failure to intervene early in life to tackle mental health problems and other challenges can have profound consequences for people throughout their lives."
