Young People and Alcohol

Di Robertson

October 2007

• The proportion of 11-15 year olds who drink has varied slightly over the last 5 years between 58-60%, but there was a clear drop from 58% in 2005 to 54% in 2006. However, the mean consumption of those who drink has doubled from 5 units a week in the early 1990s to 10 units in 2004.

• Young people drink mainly beer, cider, lager. Alcopops remain popular but consumption of them tends to drop with age.

• By the age of 13, the proportion of those who drink exceeds the proportion of teenagers who do not drink.

• Young people drink for a variety of reasons including: the wish to demonstrate maturity, have fun and test their limits.

• Although young people may drink in an uncontrolled way at times, most will not go on to develop serious alcohol problems.

Context and Statistics

• Common problems experienced are the result of severe intoxication such as accidents.

• There is an association between alcohol and crime or anti-social behaviour. 16% of school attendees, who had committed a crime, reported that they had been drinking prior to the crime.

• Children of problem drinkers can suffer from emotional and psychological problems. But how a young person responds to a parent’s drinking depends on factors such as the young person’s personality support systems both with and outside the family.

Context and Statistics Continued

ESPAD School Survey 2003

Prevention and Education

• PSHE and Science Curriculum

• Alcohol Education starts in KS2

• Awareness raising with parents

• Curriculum Guidance for Youth Services

• FRANK

• Peer education

Tell Us Survey 2007 This survey is carried out every two years with children in years 6,8 and 10 in a

random selection of schools in each authority Local Authority National

% %

Have you ever had an alcoholic drink- a whole drink, not just a sip? (Tick one box only)

No 39 42

Yes 49 48

Prefer not to say 12 10

In the last 4 weeks, how many times, if any, have you got drunk? (tick one box only)

None 20 23

Once/Twice 9 12

Three or more 15 7

Prefer not to say 6 5

What do you think of the information and advice you get on the following things? (Year 8 & 10 only) (Tick one Box)

Need more/ better advice

Eating healthy Food 15 20

Alcohol 21 27

Smoking 25 26

Drugs 27 31

Sex and Relationships 31 37

Streetwise Alcohol Survey 2005

• 100 young people under 19 completed the survey

Why do young people drink?• 79% of young people stated they drank for fun• 61% ‘to get drunk’• 42% drank to relax• 38% to be more sociable• 22% drank ‘to forget’• 20% drank ‘to cope with feelings’

Streetwise Survey (contd)

• 63% of young women and 47% of young men reported having sex under the influence of alcohol

• 46% of young women and 37% of young men had injured themselves under the influence of alcohol

• Overall 22% of young people admitted committing a crime under the influence of alcohol

• 49% of young people claimed they had been violent under the influence

• 73% of young men and 62% of young women aged 16 and 17 reported drinking in pubs

Particularly Vulnerable Groups of Young people

• Looked After Children

• Young Offenders

• Young People Not Attending School

• Homeless Young People

• Children of Problematic Alcohol or Drug Users

• Children who have been sexually exploited

Reports by YHN Tenants: January 2005 to June 2007

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Reports to the 101 Phone Line: July 2006 to March 2007

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Alcohol, Crime and Young People

• The 2003 Crime and Justice Survey further reveals that 82% of criminal damage incidents were committed on the spur of the moment and 40% had been committed when the perpetrator had consumed alcohol or alcohol and drugs.

• Criminal damage accounts for 14% of offences which young people are charged with who are engaged with the YOT.

• Residents who say that people being drunk or rowdy in public places is a very or fairly big problem dropped from 35% in 2005-06 to 34% in 2006-07 (Newcastle Residents Survey).

Calls to 101 2006-2007

• Breakdown of types of calls to 101 in Newcastle No of incidents

• Noise Nuisance 3214• Intimidation and harassment 2916• Vehicle Related ASB 2349• Drunk or rowdy in public places 1847• Vandalism, grafitti and other deliberate damage 966• Out of Scope 905• Rubbish or litter 439• Street lighting 194• Substance Related ASB 156• Animal Problems 5• Firework related problems 2• Total 12993

A Review of the impact drugs and alcohol have on young people’s sexual behaviour. June 2007

Independent Advisory Group on Sexual Health and HIV

Key Findings• Alcohol consumption must be reduced if there is to be an effect on

risk: by early intervention & by making it more difficult to purchase alcohol under age

• There is a lack of information about the effects of drugs and alcohol

• The positive media coverage of ‘celebrity’ behaviour involving sex, drugs and alcohol acts as an encouragement to young people

• Alcohol advertising is widely accessible to all who can read, merchandising for alcohol manufacturers sponsorships are available to small children

• Some alcohol advertising is targeting young people

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Oct-Dec2005

Jan-Mar2006

Apr-Jun2006

July-Sept2006

Oct-Dec2006

Jan-Mar2007

Apr-Jun2007

July-Sept2007

Initial Conferences

Substance Misuse

Initial Child Protection Conferences where Substance Misuse is Factor

Early Intervention and Treatment

• Schools,Youth Services and Connexions

• Counselling at Streetwise

• Newcastle Independence Network

• GPs

• CAMHS

• D’n’A

D’n’A Services for Young People

• Multi agency service

• Children’s Social care, CAMHS, NECA

• Confidential advice and treatment

• KPIs for LAC and YOT

D’n’A Services for Young People 2006-07Drugs Used

Drugs Used

129

101

12 11 9 6 3 1 1

78

41

19

2 1 1 1 0

51

60

11

27 5 2 0 1

Us

ers

TOTAL

Primary substance

Used with othersubstances

D’n’AReferrals by Gender

162

70

femalemale

Referrals by Gender

D’n’A Referrals by Age

Referrals by Age

18 yrs9%

17 yrs13%

16 yrs20%

15 yrs32%

14 yrs13%

13 yrs13%

D’n’ASources of referral

87

61

1910 10 9 8 8 6 6 6 1 1

THE NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTINFORMATION SERVICES DEPARTMENT

Patients aged between 11 and 17

Year Alcohol related Elicit drug related Grand TotalApril 05 to March 06 3 1 4April 06 to March 07 120 12 132

diagnosis_fullcode

Year Poisoning inc ODPoisoning prescriptive drugs

Poisoning proprietry drugs

Poisoning controlled drugs

Poisoning other inc alcohol Grand Total

April 04 to March 05 40 46 27 4 97 214April 05 to March 06 32 33 36 4 128 233April 06 to March 07 35 15 31 1 104 186

patient_group

Test Purchasing

• 2006 – 07 – 134 leading to 12 convictions

• 2007 – 8 - 82 leading to 1 conviction so far

• There are 12 designated public places orders