3.6 Smoking, Drugs and Substance Misuse

Contents

1. Smoking, Alcohol and other Harmful Substances
2. Non Prescribed Controlled Drugs/Substances
3. Recording

1. Smoking, Alcohol and other Harmful Substances

1.1 Cigarettes and Tobacco

Staff and visitors are not permitted to smoke in front of children. 

Those children who are permitted to smoke may only do so outside the home; in an area designated by the Manager.

Children may only smoke if the social worker and, preferably, the child's parents approve. If approval is given, the arrangements (see next paragraph) for this must be outlined in the child's Placement Plan; together with a clear plan for helping the child to reduce or cease the habit.

Staff are not permitted to purchase or give cigarettes, tobacco, or the materials for making or lighting cigarettes or tobacco to children. 

1.2 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 consume alcohol whilst on duty and should not arrive at work under the influence of alcohol. 

1.3 Aerosols, Gas, Glue, and Petrol

Medical Emergency: Section 4, Medical Emergencies - First Aid and Medication Procedure.

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. Non Prescribed Controlled Drugs/Substances

Procedures for administering or storing prescribed controlled drugs are provided in First Aid and Medication Procedure.

Controlled Drugs are drugs or chemical substances whose possession and use are regulated under the Controlled Substances Act, for more information go the the Department of Health Website/Controlled Drugs.

2.1 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.

2.2 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/carers should take what actions are immediately necessary then inform the manager and social worker(s) at the first opportunity.

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

1. The overall responsibility of staff/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/carers 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 other wise 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 staff/carers; 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:

Physical Intervention Procedure

Searching Children Procedure

Contacting the Police Procedure

No further action, beyond making the situation safe and attempting to confiscate harmful drugs or substances, based on the assessment of risk and knowledge of the young person concerned, should be taken without a manager's authorisation, preferably in consultation with the relevant social worker.

However, the staff/carers 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.

3. 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, who by and item identified if known with amount
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 hard back book
   
   Headings in the hard back book should be as follows:
   • Entry Number
   • Date & 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 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 - General Guidance.

End