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Nicol Stephen Welcomes School Drug Safety Report
23/01/2001
Deputy Minister for Education Nicol Stephen today launched the final report of the School Drug Safety Team. Speaking during a visit to Notre Dame High School in Inverclyde, the Minister pledged to act on the reports 35 recommendations.
Mr Stephen said:
"This report on School Drug Safety is a crucial element of the Scottish Executive's strategy to tackle drug misuse. The report's wide ranging recommendations will support schools and other agencies to develop essential drugs education programmes.
Mr Stephen added "Two of the most vital recommendations are that every school should have an effective drug education programme and that all schools should have a member of staff trained in recognising the signs of drug misuse.
"The report also highlights the importance of developing the guidelines currently used in schools. Local authorities and schools must ensure updated policies are available to all staff.
"The Drug Safety Team make it clear it is not all about spotting and dealing with drug misuse. We must also encourage schools to focus on health promotion and create a positive school ethos which fosters mental, physical and social well-being.
"This report is an important document which will help the Executive tackle the issue of better drugs education. It emphasises the importance of listening to the views of those at the chalkface who work with our children."
"We realise that this will have cost implications for the Executive and we are currently developing an implementation plan"
Deputy Minister for Justice, Iain Gray also welcomed the publication of the report. Having recently visited the Inverclyde Forum About Drugs, Mr Gray said:
"I was deeply impressed by the determination of people in Inverclyde to make sure the next generation of young people don't have the same problems with drugs as some of the last. That's why I'm pleased that we're unveiling this report in Inverclyde.
"Better education is a key part of our balanced drugs strategy, along with better enforcement and treatment. It's vital that we give young people the information they need to make healthy and informed choices about drugs."
The Report is being made publicly available today through direct mailings to key stakeholders and on the Scottish Executive web site on www.scotland.gov.uk.
BACKGROUND
- Scotland's drugs strategy, set out in - Tackling Drugs in Scotland: Action in Partnership, has a particular focus on Young People. Its key aim is to help young people resist drug misuse in order to achieve their full potential in society.
- The School Drug Safety Team (SDST) was set up with the following remit:
"In the first place the group will concentrate on ensuring that appropriate guidance on handling drug incidents is available to teachers and thereafter advise on the effectiveness of drug education in schools, consider teacher training needs on drug matters and promote the exchange of best practice."
- The Team's first priority was to ensure that effective guidance on handling drug misuse incidents in schools was made available to teachers. The resulting Guidelines for the Management of Incidents of Drug Misuse were launched by the Minister for Children and Education on 28 June.
4. Members of the Team are: Ken Corsar (Chairman) Director of Education, City of Glasgow; Harry Black, Fife Primary Care NHS Trust; Christine Compton, Aberdeen City Council; William Crosbie, Castlebrae Community High School, Edinburgh; Barry Dougall, Strathclyde Police; Joan Forrest, University of Strathclyde; Beth McIntyre, Kirkland High School and Community College, Fife; Alistair Ramsay, Scotland Against Drugs; Raymond de Souza, City of Edinburgh Council; Harvey Stalker, HM Chief Inspector of Schools; Justine Walker, COSLA; Ian Young' Health Education Board for Scotland.
- In September 2000, the First Minister announced an additional £100m package of measures over three years to break the cycle of drug offending. The money will fund: better youth work to educate young people about the dangers of drugs; a massive expansion of treatment and rehabilitation facilities; new drug schemes for courts and better facilities for prisons. £21m has been allocated to ensure effective drug education for every school pupil, provide more support for the care of vulnerable young people and families where there are drug-misusing parents, and for the provision of alternative activities to divert young people into positive, drug free lifestyles.
News Release: SE0121/2001
23 Jan 2001