1.5.1 Drugs and Substance Misuse

Contents

1.	Definition
2.	Access/Use of Drugs and Substances
	2.1	Purchasing/Obtaining Drugs or Substances - General
	2.2	Cigarettes and Tobacco
	2.3	Alcohol
	2.4	Aerosols, Gas, Glue, and Petrol
	2.5	Controlled Drugs or Substances
3.	Prevention and Planning
4.	Emergency
5.	Notifications and Recording

1. Definition

Drugs and Substances are defined as any substances, whether restricted or prohibited, which may have a harmful effect upon a child; 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 Narcotics.

2. Access/Use of Drugs and Substances

2.1	Purchasing/Obtaining Drugs or Substances - General
2.2	Cigarettes and Tobacco
2.3	Alcohol
2.4	Aerosols, Gas, Glue, and Petrol
2.5	Controlled Drugs or Substances

2.1 Purchasing/Obtaining Drugs or Substances - General

All reasonable measures must be used to reduce or prevent children from obtaining drugs or substances which may harm them.

If it is known or suspected that children are obtaining products which may harm them, whether off the streets, from dealers or traders of any kind, the manager and social worker must be informed and a strategy adopted to reduce or prevent it.

This may include engaging or involving the supplier, if it is safe to do so.

If the problem persists or is serious, relevant specialists or bodies, including Trading Standards or the Police, should be informed.

2.2 Cigarettes and Tobacco

Children

Children under the age of 16 are not permitted to smoke unless she/he was habituated to smoking before being admitted to the home (evidence for this being provided via the child's file) and that:

1. She/he is engaged in a programme, in accordance with medical advice, as appropriate to remove the habit.
2. A Health and Safety Assessment has been conducted and the child has written permission to smoke and take part in such a reduction programme from the Social Worker and parents (if applicable).

All of the above information should be clearly recorded in the young person's Placement Plan.

Where a child is over 16 and they are an established smoker, they should still be discouraged and supported to give up and, where possible, be engaged in a programme of reduction or as a minimum have an agreed daily limit regarding their level of smoking, which will continue to be controlled by staff.

Smoking should only take place in the designated smoking area, and steps should be taken to ensure that all visitors to the home are also clear about the location of smoking areas.

1. All Clifford House buildings are non- smoking and each resource has a designated outside smoking area that is made available to young people.
2. Children should not smoke collectively as this can lead them to associate smoking with an enjoyable social occasion.
3. Staff must not buy cigarettes on behalf of the children of any the age.
4. Arrangements will have to be agreed with social workers or parents to purchase cigarettes for a child and pass them onto staff for safe keeping.
5. In areas where smoking is permitted, other children who do not smoke should not be allowed to use or stand around the area.
6. Children should be encouraged to keep the designated smoking area clean and tidy, but ultimately staff should check the area daily to ensure it remains clean and tidy.
7. All resources should ensure that they obtain information and guidance leaflets, so that Children and staff can be appropriately informed about the dangers of smoking.

Staff

Staff must not smoke in front of children and must always smoke in a designated smoking area. Staff may only smoke in the designated smoking area if it is agreed with their shift partner and if it does not leave the children lacking in staff supervision. In other words smoking should only take place on shift when a natural break occurs. Staff must never give children cigarettes. Every effort should be made to keep the designated smoking area clean and tidy.

2.3 Alcohol

All homes should be alcohol free zones; alcohol should not be brought or kept on the premises and children should not normally be taken into licensed premises, unless it is part of a clear plan leading toward independence or a special occasion; e.g. Christmas. In any case, children may not be allowed to purchase or consume alcohol. Staff are not permitted to bring alcohol into the home or consume it whilst on duty (including holidays or whilst on outdoor activities) and should not arrive at work under the influence of alcohol.

Where it becomes evident (or staff suspect) that a child has indulged in alcohol, a range of responses are relevant given variations in the severity and extent of the abuse. These options are outlined below:-

• Offering fluids - water, squash
• Periodic monitoring - i.e. 10 minutes, 1/2 hour, hourly, etc.
• Contacting health professionals for advice i.e. G.P. in casualty dept.
• Hospitalisation for day patient or overnight stay, etc.

Staff should never simply ignore a child who appears drunk. Staff should always inform Social Workers of an episode of alcohol abuse, and significant or serious incidents should be recorded in great detail on Incident Report forms. Where staff find alcohol based products either in the possession or within the home, then this should be destroyed. It is not permissible to give beer or spirits back to children on the premise that they will take it home on the next home visit.

It is explicit policy of Clifford House that staff should not consume alcohol whilst on duty.

2.4 Aerosols, Gas, Glue, and Petrol

Managers must ensure that aerosols, gas, glue, petrol and similar substances are only used for the purpose they were designed for; and that all reasonable measures are taken to restrict their use to staff and children who are known to pose no risk to themselves or others if they have access to them.

The arrangements for the obtaining, storage and use of these substances in each home must be outlined in the Staff Handbook and Children's Guide or individual children's Placement Plans.

2.5 Controlled drugs or substances

For advice on the meaning of Controlled Drugs, go to 'Patient UK' website

Further procedures are provided in:

Medication Procedure

Section 3, Controlled Drugs of the Medication Procedure

Under no circumstances may controlled drugs and substances, other than those prescribed by a medical practitioner, be permitted in any Home.

3. Prevention and Planning

The manager of each home must ensure that information, guidance and advice on the risks associated with harmful drugs and substances are available to all children in the home.

Additionally, any child known or suspected to be at 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 an Individual Crisis Management Plan

The strategy should state whether, and in what circumstances, the Police will be notified

4. Emergency

If it suspected that a child is misusing harmful drugs or substances and no Strategy exists to reduce or prevent the behaviour, the Manager of the home 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 manager or social worker, staff should take what actions are immediately necessary then inform the manager 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 carers must be mindful of the following:

1. The overall responsibility of carers is to protect children, 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 child(ren), and preferably by two members of staff; who must record their actions, describing what they have obtained and where it has been safely stored.
6. If children do 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.
7. Misuse of drugs and substances, alcohol or solvents is one of the grounds for referral to relevant appropriate agencies if an agency or professional believes that a child may be in need of compulsory measures of supervision.

See the following additional Chapters:

Searching Children and Confiscating Procedure

Contacting the Police Procedure

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 children 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 manager 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.

5. Notifications and Recording

Procedures to follow:

1.	A member of staff finds illegal drugs or substances, or any other form of drugs or substances including alcohol on the premises , outside the home, or in a child's room when not undertaking a room search, or in anything belonging to a child (i.e. a locker/ bag/bedroom: Immediately inform senior manager on duty, record in Drug and Substance misuse record hard back book, completing all columns
2.	If any illegal substance ,or alcohol is found in areas where it cannot be linked to a specific child the same principle applies to disposal and recording within the hard back book.
3.	Ensure that all incidents are recorded in the homes hardback book and where linked to a specific child on the homes record of Drugs and Substances record form. The record form should be kept on the Child's main file
4.	At all times disposal of illegal items must be witnessed by two staff members or where appropriate a police officer and one staff from the home in sign off.
5.	Where drugs are found they must be placed in secure storage, for example a small petty cash tin which is locked and then placed within a safe filing cabinet in the managers office, until it can be disposed of appropriately. A receipt must be placed in the tin stating date placed in storage, by whom and the item identified with amount if known .
6.	When the police are asked to dispose of any drugs then they must be asked to sign the hard back book and place their police number along with their signature and date of removal/receipt
7.	All alcohol/other substances must be disposed of on the homes premises. Recorded and witnessed by two staff all details recorded in the Daily Log and Child's Summary Sheet. The following should be recorded: Date and Time found Staff name who found Where found Is a child involved, or on premises Item found Staff Signature Entered into safe storage, date time Who has been informed Disposal method to be used Date of disposal and Staff signatures (2 signatures) Police signature, officer number, date of removal Managers signature

If an Incident occurs; for example, a child is taken to hospital or the Police provide assistance, it should be recorded as such and subject to Management Review.

Registered Managers should ensure that if any illegal substances are found on the premises they are held in safe, secure storage until the police or other agency visit the home to remove the items.

To ensure that controlled substances are not stored in the children's home any longer than necessary it is important that every effort is made to ensure that the police attend at the earliest possible time. Staff must contact the local police control room to arrange for the Community Beat Officer to attend the home and remove the items.

For definition of Incident and guidance on recording and management review, see Incidents Management Reviews Procedure.

End