Drugs and Substance Misuse

Substances are defined as any substances, whether restricted or prohibited, which may have a harmful effect upon a young person, such as:

alcohol, cigarettes, tobacco, aerosols, gas, glue, magic mushrooms (amanita), petrol, solvents and all controlled substances such as amphetamines, barbiturates, cannabis, cocaine, hallucinogens, hashish and heroin.

It also includes psychoactive substances which can cause a very similar range of problems to the drugs which they mimic, including a risk of dependence developing with repeated use. Some appear to be more dangerous even than the traditional drugs they mimic.

For procedures regarding smoking and alcohol, see Smoking and Alcohol Procedure. 

See: Frank - new psychoactive substances and Frank – Drugs A-Z.

The Service must ensure that information, guidance and advice on the risks associated with harmful drugs and substances are available to all young people.

Additionally, any young people known or suspected to be participating in drug or substances misuse activities must be provided with the following:

• Targeted relevant information, guidance and advice to help reduce or prevent such risks;
• A strategy for managing the risk, outlined in the Care Plan.

A decision should be made whether the police will be notified.

If it is suspected that a young person is misusing controlled or harmful drugs or substances and no strategy exists to reduce or prevent the behaviour, the registered person and relevant social worker(s) should be contacted and an agreement reached on how to proceed; this will include whether the police will be notified.

If there are immediate risks, which make it impractical to contact the registered person or social worker, staff should take what actions are immediately necessary then inform the registered person and social worker(s) at the first opportunity.

The actions that staff take will be dependent on the circumstances and the degree of offence or injury that is likely, but staff must be mindful of the following:

1. The overall responsibility of staff is to protect young people, themselves and others from injury and reduce or prevent the likelihood of criminal offences;
2. If there is a risk of serious harm, injury or of a serious criminal offence and staff are unable to manage safely, the police should be notified;
3. If solvents are involved, allow air to circulate freely and extinguish naked lights;
4. If any person is unconscious, in a fit or convulsing or otherwise seriously ill, emergency first aid should be given and an ambulance requested. The emergency services should be informed that there are suspicions of drug or solvent misuse;
5. The drugs/substances should be removed or confiscated, preferably with the co-operation of the young person, and preferably by two staff, who must record their actions, describing what they have obtained and where it has been safely stored; 
6. If the young person does not co-operate or there is a risk of injury or damage to property, it may be necessary to use Physical Intervention, conduct a search or call for police assistance.

See the following additional chapter:

• Offending and Anti-Social Behaviour – Guidance on when to Involve the Police. 

No further action, beyond making the situation safe and attempting to confiscate harmful drugs or substances, should be taken without a manager's authorisation, preferably in consultation with the relevant social worker.

However, the staff should undertake the following if a manager is not available within a reasonable timescale:

• Legal but potentially harmful substances such as cigarettes, alcohol, aerosols, gas, glue, and petrol should then be put in a safe place out of the reach of young people or disposed of safely;
• Controlled substances and any associated materials or paraphernalia must be placed in a clearly marked box or other strong container, sealed and given to the manager who must arrange for it to be taken to a competent authority e.g. pharmacist or doctor; and a receipt obtained.

When safe to do so, the registered person and relevant social workers should be notified and a decision reached on the actions/measures, which should be taken. This should include whether the police should be notified.