Young People & Substance Misuse

In Torbay the young people’s substance misuse plan includes the support of universal education, targeted interventions, specialist services, transition into adult services and family work.

The risk of drug and alcohol use and misuse is not uniformly distributed through the youth population therefore a key area for development is targeted interventions with generic children and young people’s services for those most at risk from drugs i.e.  Young people in contact with the criminal justice system, children looked after by the local authority, persistent truants and school excludes, children of problematic drug users, homeless young people, teenage mothers and young people not in education, employment or training.

Torbay has an Under 18 Drug and Alcohol Team which consists of specialist services at Checkpoint, Youth Offending Team and Torbay Youth Service.  These workers provide advice, information,  targeted prevention interventions,  specialist interventions for young people with a problem, group work and training for generic children and young people staff. During 2003 / 2004 the specialist services worked with 174 young people on an individual basis.  The most commonly identified problem in Torbay is alcohol followed by cannabis.

Drug Strategy Targets

• Overarching aim: To reduce the harm that drugs cause to society, including communities, individuals and families.
• Young People’s aim: Preventing today’s young people from becoming tomorrow’s problematic drug users.
• Every Child Matters Outcome: Children and Young People choose not to take illegal drugs.

Definitions

Substances are defined as 'illegal and legally obtainable drugs including alcohol, tobacco, volatile substances and medicines obtained without prescription'.

Please see the menu for links to specialist pages on drugs and alcohol for: Children and young people; Parents and carers and Professionals.

Drug & Alcohol Information for Parents & Carers

If you are a parent or carer of a young person under 18 live in the Torbay area and would like information or help with drugs or alcohol then please view the following Related Documents below. We have also provided a selection of websites that give you further information on this topic and the links to these can be found under the External Links panel.

Drug & Alcohol Information for Professionals

If you are a professional working with a young person under 18 who lives in the Torbay area and would like information or help with drugs or alcohol then please also view the following Related Documents below. The selection of websites that give you further information on this topic and the links to these can be found under the External Links panel.

Drug & Alcohol Information for Young People

If you are under 18 live in the Torbay area and would like information or help with drugs or alcohol then please have a view the Related Documents below or follow the External Website Links.

Related Documents

• All About Drugs - Does Your Child Know More Than You Do?
  This leaflet will give you the facts about drugs and make sure you know just as much as your child does so you can talk openly about the risks.
  Last updated: 10/06/2008 (3.2 MB)
• Cannabis - Too Much Too Often
  This guide is to help heavy cannabis users understand what cannabis might be doing to them, what steps can be takeen to cut back or quit and explains the risks and the law.
  Last updated: 25/07/2008 (1.5 MB)
• Gases, Glues and Aerosols - What Every Parent Needs to Know
  A guide for parents on volatile substance abuse amongst children including how to spot the signs and how to protect your child.
  Last updated: 10/06/2008 (2 MB)
• The Truth About Drugs - Know the Score
  This A-Z booklet gives the lowdown on lots of the more commonly used legal and illegal drugs.
  Last updated: 25/07/2008 (3 MB)
• The Guide - Alcohol & Drug Advice in Torbay
  Advice, information and specialist help for drug and/or alcohol issues for young people under 18 in Torbay.
  Last updated: 08/02/2008 (4.4 MB)
• Torbay's Under 18's Drug & Alcohol Team
  Details of the specialist drug and alcohol service available to help young people in Torbay.
  Last updated: 08/02/2008 (571 KB)
• Certification of the Teaching of PSHE: Teachers' Handbook
  Guide to help teachers develop their skills to and experience in teaching personal, social and health education (PSHE).
  Last updated: 10/06/2008 (600 KB)
• Drugs: Guidance for Schools
  Guidance for primary, secondary, special schools and pupil referral units (PRUs) in England on all matters relating to drug education, the management of drugs within the school community, supporting the needs of pupils with regard to drugs and drug policy development.
  Last updated: 10/06/2008 (799 KB)
• Drugs: Guidance for Schools: Summary for Headteachers & Governors
  Summary for Headteachers and Governors on the main drugs guidance leaflet for schools.
  Last updated: 10/06/2008 (584 KB)
• Every Child Matters: Change for Children Young People and Drugs
  This document sets out how those responsible for delivering children and young people’s services and the drugs strategy co-operate and plan holistic responses for young people who are using or therwise affected by drug misuse.
  Last updated: 10/06/2008 (327 KB)
• Guidance for School Drugs Policies
  Guidance on developing a drug policy for educational establishments in Torbay.
  Last updated: 10/06/2008 (48 KB)
• National Healthy School Standard, Drug Education
  This support material aims to offer practical guidance to Local Healthy School Programme (LHSP) coordinators on supporting schools in implementing the NHSS minimum criteria and whole school approach for drug education.
  Last updated: 10/06/2008 (1.1 MB)
• Multi Agency Response to Children and Young People Involved In Substance Misuse
  Information for any staff/professional/voluntary worker who works with young people in Torbay. It brings together information on issues such as Safeguarding, Confidentiality, Consent, Information sharing,  Assessment and Referral with a specific focus on drug and alcohol  use by young people under 18 years of age.
  Last updated: 28/05/2008 (600 KB)

To view any published Related Documents for this service you will require the appropriate software. To download this software please see our documents help page. All links to documents will open in a new window. To request documents and files in an alternative format please contact us using the contact information provided on this page.