This framework will support the drug and alcohol treatment and recovery (DATR) sector to plan, develop, and deploy their workforce.

This should be read alongside the 10-year strategic plan for the drug and alcohol treatment and recovery workforce (2024–2034).

This framework identifies core capabilities for 15 core roles in the sector. It aims to enable safer and more effective practice by:

• describing the skills, knowledge and behaviours required for 15 core roles in the adult and children and young people’s (CYP) drug and alcohol treatment and recovery workforce
• providing capability statements for core unregulated roles in the sector (such as drug and alcohol workers)
• helping to standardise key capabilities across the sector to support the consistency and quality of drug and alcohol treatment and recovery service provision
• helping to support consistency in job descriptions, titles and contracts across the sector
• outlining the capability requirements for effective supervision
• supporting training, education and research, and identifying potential career progression and continuing professional development (CPD) for core roles across the sector
• aiding service providers and commissioners in assessing skills gaps within the sector
• helping to inform the design and commissioning of a multidisciplinary workforce, able to deliver evidence-based treatment and support
• providing a firm foundation for future workforce and service planning and design