Primary school booze warning

Two community workers who specialise in substance misuse are about to start seeing their first young person whose drinking has caused alarm.

Tanya Mitchell and Nicola Kennett will be meeting ten to 19-year-olds in youth clubs, fast-food outlets and schools to talk to them about the dangers of abusing alcohol.

Some of their clients will be referred on to them by schools, GPs, social workers or families because of problems linked with harmful drinking. Others will be seen through their visits to schools and youth clubs.

Nicola (41) said: "We will meet young people wherever they feel comfortable, at least initially before we find somewhere confidential for further meetings."

But the service's manager, Debbie Nightingale, explained the sessions would not be pushing a hard-line anti-alcohol message.

"It's not about not drinking at all. It's about a realistic approach that drinking alcohol can be okay if it's done safely and in sensible amounts," she stated.

However, Tanya (35) said the message that excessive consumption of alcohol was harmful would be firmly given.

"We will be making them think about what they are doing by drinking too much," she stated.

"We will be using some very creative ways to capture young people's imagination to do that."

Debbie said: "Drinking too much alcohol can cause health problems for young people, get them involved in the criminal justice system as well as end in unwanted pregnancies, problems with their families and schools and lead to date rapes."

Nicola and Tanya form what is formally known as the Arun community alcohol liaison team.

Their arrival in the district follows a 100,000 grant to Arun District Council from the NHS to set up the service for two years.

The extent of drinking among young people around Arun is officially unknown. However, the Konnect youth service at the 39 Youth Club in Bognor carried out the town's biggest survey among young people in the early summer. Of the 515 11 to 19-year-olds who responded, 82 per cent had drunk alcohol.

Most liked beer or lager, with wine the next most favoured drink of choice. The result was the exact opposite of their attitude to drugs.

Debbie continued: "Alcohol is seen as being okay because it can be seen as glamorous and it is available '“ and legal, for a certain age group.

"We will be showing there's another side to alcohol."

Tanya is based at Bognor Regis Health Centre and Nicola in Littlehampton, though they will often work together around the district to potentially change the lives of young people.

Nicola added: "We will consider it to be a success if we do intervene with a ten, 11 or 12 year old and that changes their attitude to alcohol, so when they are 15 or 16 they are aware of health risks associated with alcohol."

Cllr Robin Brown, Arun's cabinet member for housing and community care, welcomed the arrival of Tanya and Nicola.

"Binge drinking and alcohol abuse are topics we hear about in the news almost every day. It is important we find an effective way to tackle the issue.

"By going into schools and youth clubs and letting young people know the facts about alcohol as early as possible, they will have the information they need to make informed and responsible choices.

"In the unfortunate cases where a young person has put themselves at risk through unsafe drinking, the team can help them."

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