	Parenting in Torbay Torbay Council Commerce House 97 - 101 Abbey Road Torquay TQ2 5PJ
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Drugs

Research seems to show that a significant number of young people have access to, experiment with or misuse drugs of some sort, at some time in, particularly, the teenage years.

Parents want to talk with their children about substance abuse and need the skills and confidence to discuss the subject. To do that, they need to know more about:

different types of drugs
their effects and the risks
the sort of pressure their children may feel under to try them.

Parents who contact Parentline Plus are often concerned that challenging behaviour, such as truancy, stealing and fighting, as well as self-destructive conduct such as self-neglect or depression, is linked to drug use, and need support to know how best to help their child.

It is clear that parents cannot prevent teenagers having access to drugs. Research suggests that more than 60% of young people have tried cannabis by the time they are 18. However, fewer than 10% have experimented with 'hard' drugs and for most it is part of the rebellion and exploration of adolescence rather than a life choice.

What parents can do is know more and feel more in control and help their teenagers make better, safer decisions about using or refusing drugs.

Drug education is part of PSHE in schools and is tackled by many youth work agencies. Parents are often not included in this work and need many more opportunities to get information about drug use and to develop their skills in talking about drugs with their children.

Parents can call our free Parentline on 0808 800 2222 for support and to talk through their anxieties. They can also Talk to FRANK who provide information on different drugs and abuse, aswell as contacts of local drug services on 0800 77 66 00.

(Source: Parentline Plus October 2007)

Useful Contacts

Checkpoint - Under 18s Drug & Alcohol Worker (Dave Sibley
- Tel: 01803 200100
- Mob: 07810 865938
Torbay Youth Offending Team - Drug & Alcohol Worker (Paul Tait)
- Tel: 01803 201655
- Mob: 07876 258199
Youth Support - Drug & Alcohol Worker (Gillian Hardacre)
- Tel: 01803 208208

Torbay Primary Care Drug Service (over 18s) - Shrublands House

Tel: 01803 291129

Maria McTiernan - Specialist Health Visitor for Substance Misuse
- Tel: 01803 210598
Young Carers - Offer support to young people under 18 who look after or help to look after someone who is affected by drugs or alcohol, has a serious illness, disability or mental ill health
- Tel: 01803 208365

Cluster Teams

Visit the Cluster Teams page for further information on the four teams in Torbay.

Drugs

Useful Contacts

Cluster Teams

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