This report is aimed at professionals who provide specialist substance misuse treatment services for young people under 18 years old. The National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse (NTA) defines young people’s treatment as, "care planned medical, psychosocial or specialist harm reduction interventions aimed at alleviating current harm caused by a young person’s substance misuse."

This report brings together evidence for effective treatment of substance misuse among young people aged 18 and under. It was developed from literature reviews and primary research published in peer review journals, which focus on substance misuse among this age range (see Methodology for details). The report has been produced as part of the Youth Alcohol Action Plan’s commitment to improve alcohol treatment for young people (Department for Children, Schools and Families, Home Office and Department for Health, 2008).