The reduction of alcohol and substance misuse in Newcastle features highly on many strategies. For example an alcohol strategy has been written which focuses on alcohol education and work with families.
Young people in Newcastle are more likely to have taken drugs – 13% compared to 11% nationally.
25% of young people in Newcastle had never had an alcoholic drink, the same proportion as nationally. 16% of young people locally and nationally had been drunk at least once in the last four weeks (Tellus)
Young people in Newcastle are more likely to smoke than young people nationally. 75% nationally (69% Newcastle) have never smoked a cigarette whereas 6% of Newcastle young people (4% nationally) smoke every day.
Stop smoking advice training is now mandatory for midwives and has also been provided to Children’s Centre staff. Community midwives are also carrying out routine carbon monoxide tests on pregnant women.
D'n'A are a drug and alcohol advice service for young people in Newcastle.
A single point of referral into specialist substance misuse services through D’n’A has been established.
Staff from D’n’A are providing training for youth service staff to increase confidence around working with young people on Friday nights who may have been drinking.
Alcohol treatment delivery for young people will prioritise:
We are also in the early stages of planning an e-learning package for all staff working for the City Council on Alcohol Awareness.
Increase the number of children and young people who are protected from second hand smoke at home, through the implementation of an evidence based programme of training for professionals on second hand smoke.
Improve the quality of tobacco education delivered to young people through a range of interventions, including staff training and the promotion of the Smoke Free School Award.
Improve patient information on smoking and pregnancy at scan visits.
A Drug and Alcohol Advisor works closely with schools to provide support for drug or alcohol incidents; and work is ongoing to develop new ways of working with Community Police Teams.
Positive evaluation of the innovative pilot ‘The Truth’ theatre in education programme about the tobacco industry has led to its further development and roll out to 7 secondary schools in Newcastle. 23 schools (25%) have attained the Gold award for exemplar tobacco education.
“Trashed” Gibber (theatre in Education) also performed for schools around binge drinking to all year 9s in the city.
An annual alcohol awareness session is delivered to all Yr 9, 12 and 13 groups across all secondary schools in Newcastle.
Mint Magazine - magazine for Newcastle’s young women to make informed choices about relationships, contraception and to support one another in getting the most out of life.
Young people's specialist substance misuse 2008/09 (pdf, 308.4kb)
Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) - shared online information resource for everyone who commissions, provides or uses health, social and children's services in the city.
Rod Stapley
Lead Specialist Practitioner - Youth
Phone: 0191 277 377
Email: rod.stapley@newcastle.gov.uk