What does addiction advice for parents cost?

Many parents hesitate to seek advice because they do not know what to expect and whether advice costs anything. The answer depends on the offer. For Lower Saxony, the Lower Saxony State Office for Addiction Issues (NLS) states: advice at addiction advice centres is free of charge and takes place anonymously on request. According to its own information, the parents' helpline of Nummer gegen Kummer is anonymous and free of charge. The Sucht & Drogen Hotline on 01806 313031 is chargeable. Other providers and other federal states can differ, so the rule is: ask the service itself before the first appointment.

Who advises parents on cannabis and addiction

Advice for relatives is available in various places: at addiction advice centres on site, by telephone and online. According to the NLS, addiction advice centres are also a point of contact for family members. The BIÖG refers to ELSA, a professional, free online advice service on the substance and media use of children, and to the BIÖG information telephone on 0221 892031. Its costs depend on the telephone provider's price list for calls into the Cologne local network.

If you want an overview, the Suchthilfeverzeichnis of the Deutsche Hauptstelle für Suchtfragen (DHS) lists advice centres on site. The information there is based on self-reports from the facilities. You can filter by place, radius and target group such as “relatives”. For costs, however, you should always use the website or telephone number of the service itself, because offers and rules can differ.

Which costs to clarify beforehand

Before you arrange an appointment, a short list of questions is worthwhile. Write them down when you ask on the phone so that you do not forget anything:

• Is a fee charged for the first conversation, and if so, how much is it?
• Do follow-up appointments have different conditions?
• Is contact kept anonymous, and who can see the records?
• Can I come alone, or is my child's presence needed?
• Are there waiting times, and how can I get advice at short notice?

These questions also show how the service works. Services that give clear answers are usually reliable. If a service evades your questions, it should at least be able to point you to another one.

First help without an appointment

If you are unsure whether advice is needed at all, you can call first. The Sucht & Drogen Hotline can be reached on 01806 313031. It is available around the clock and is chargeable. For parents there is also the parents' helpline of Nummer gegen Kummer on 0800 111 0 550, which is anonymous and free of charge. You will learn directly from the respective service or its website which costs apply to its advice.

On the phone you can describe in a few sentences what concerns you. You do not need to tell the whole story. The specialist asks follow-up questions, and this often shows a clear way forward.

What advice for parents achieves

Advice does not replace treatment or legal advice. It helps you sort out your worries, prepare conversations with your child and find limits that suit your family. The advice is meant to relieve you and give you orientation, without judging you.

According to the NLS, many specialist services offer further services, such as outpatient addiction therapy and referral to inpatient treatment. Questions about costs and responsibility for treatment are best clarified directly with the service or with your health insurer.

Self-help and offers for relatives

Alongside individual advice there are groups for relatives. Parents who experience similar situations meet there. The exchange can be a relief, because you notice that you are not alone with your worries. Whether and how a group has costs you will learn from the service that offers it.

Online offers can also be an option if the route to a service on site is too far. Check which provider is behind it and how data protection is handled before you share personal details.

How to proceed

• Pick out two to three services from the Suchthilfeverzeichnis.
• Call and ask the questions from the list above.
• Compare availability, waiting time and the type of offer.
• Arrange an appointment and note what you want to bring.

Costs should not keep you from advice when you need it. Clarify them early, and an open question becomes a decision you can plan. Where you find advice and how the first contact works is shown in Where do parents get advice on cannabis?. An overview of contact points in youth welfare is given in Which contact points exist for parents in youth welfare?.

For parents who are still considering the conversation with their child, How do parents support a child over a longer period on cannabis? is a good fit. Further information is offered in the topic section on prevention and youth protection.