Information is key to problem drinking
Anne Longfield
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
The government's recent Youth Alcohol Action Plan is a welcome response to the growing problem of young people drinking alcohol.
Research shows that 21 per cent of 11- to 15-year-olds drink regularly - a statistic that is down on previous years but is still significant - and, perhaps more worryingly, that the average weekly consumption of those who do drink has increased sharply. Drinking at an early age can affect developing bodies, increase risky behaviour and lead to antisocial and criminal behaviour.
Strategies to tackle this problem need to balance information and education with enforcement. Lancashire County Council's Young People's Alcohol Project aims to do just that. More than half of Lancashire's districts have higher than national average occurrences of alcohol-related problems. Managed by a steering group consisting of social services, trading standards, schools, the primary care trust and the youth offending team among others, the strategy aims to raise awareness and better coordinate support.
The project has gathered intelligence and tested purchasing activity to reduce the underage sale of alcohol. A key aspect has been a campaign to raise awareness of "proxy sales" whereby adults buy alcohol for teenagers, which is against the law. This has led to a significant reduction in the sale of alcohol to under-18s.
The project has also developed educational materials including the Lookout Alcohol Website for primary-school age children and an interactive DVD for secondary schools seeking to empower young people to make their own decisions about alcohol use.
When problems reach critical levels, some innovative local schemes are also providing vital support. Compass Young People's Drug and Alcohol Service in Nottingham is available to anyone under 19 with problematic alcohol use and offers one-to-one support and targeted group work sessions. It has established partnerships with local youth hostels and drop-in centres, and an outreach team visits community groups and housing offices. Positive feedback from service users and an expanding user base demonstrate the success of the scheme.
All young people will be confronted with alcohol sooner or later in their lives, so it's important that when this time comes they are equipped with the right information to make an informed choice. The teenage years are all about testing and pushing back boundaries, and services must be able to pick up on the warning signs in our communities, and support parents and those who work with young people to respond to any alcohol-related problem behaviour as it arises.
Anne Longfield is chief executive of 4Children.Email anne.longfield@haymarket.com.