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Effective Interventions Unit
Programme 2004-2005

B. YOUNG PEOPLE

B1. PREVENTION AND EDUCATION

Progress in April 2004-March 2005

• The Scottish Executive Education Department has commissioned an evaluation of the effectiveness of drug education in Scottish schools. The purpose of the research is to examine how drug education is currently delivered, how practice reflects what is shown to be effective in the literature, and to consider the views of young people on its value and impact on them. The report is due by December 2004.

• On behalf of the Substance Misuse Division, we commissioned and managed an evaluation of a pilot intervention among retailers in Fife to prevent Volatile Substance Abuse (VSA). The aim of the intervention - which involved the distribution of leaflets, a poster and other materials - was to raise awareness among retailers of the legislation which prohibits the sale of solvent products to young people under 18. The encouraging results from the Fife evaluation will lead to the intervention being rolled out to retailers across Scotland.

Plans for April 2004- March 2005

• We will explore the potential for developing work on effective approaches to VSA prevention in the light of recent concerns about its increasing prevalence.

Progress in April 2004-March 2005

• In partnership with Nicola Richards, the then Programme Manager for the Lloyds TSB Foundation Partnership Drugs Initiative (PDI), we produced an Evaluation Guide for Intensive Interventions with Young People ( November 2003).

• We have consulted extensively through a series of visits and consultation workshops on the development of effective assessment for young people. This exercise has also involved liaison with other parts of the Executive who are taking forward work on assessment of children and young people including ecare pilot projects and child protection policies. We have also benefited from the advice and support of the Young People's Assessment Reference Group. From this evidence gathering, we have identified a number of other issues and ideas for future work.

• The evaluation of projects working with vulnerable young people funded by the Lloyds TSB PDI continued.

Plans for April 2004-March 2005

• We will publish the interim research report of the evaluation of Lloyds TSB PDI projects in April 2004. The report 'Working with Young People' gives profiles of 17 projects. The next phase of the evaluation will be a longer-term evaluation of a small number of case study projects. The evaluation will include both process and outcome elements.

• We will consider the possibility of co-funding research on family therapy.

• We will publish a guide to assessment for young people with, or at risk of developing, problematic substance misuse by August 2004.

• In the course of our extensive consultations in support of our work on assessment, we have become aware of the number of children and young people who are caring for a drug using parent or relative. In collaboration with other Scottish Executive Divisions, we will undertake a mapping of what services currently exist for children and young people caring for drug using parents. This is likely to cover the extent of the problem, location, referral criteria and the level and pattern of use of such services.

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